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Consultants recommend full roof replacement; MSBA to reimburse majority of $12.9 million project
Summary
Design consultants told the Templeton Select Board that multiple sections of the school roof are failing and recommended a near-complete replacement; the total project estimate is $12,886,181, with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) expected to reimburse roughly 59% of eligible costs.
Design consultants reported to the Templeton Select Board on Sept. 24 that multiple sections of the district'owned school roof system are failing and recommended a near-complete replacement to meet current energy codes.
An SMMA representative said the district faces multiple problems: roughly 35 leak locations in the building, through-wall flashing that pushes water into assemblies, insulation that no longer meets stretch code and localized gypsum-deck deterioration. The firm said some steel beams and columns show rust where moisture has penetrated the assembly.
"That estimate came back at about $8,000,000, give or take," the SMMA representative told the board when discussing construction costs; later the presenter said the total warrant request would be $12,886,181 to cover the full scope, soft costs, contingencies, escalation and requirements to make the roof solar-ready.
The MSBA'administered accelerated repair program (ARP) would reimburse roughly 59% of eligible costs, the consultant said, leaving the town and the regional school district responsible for the remainder. The consultant warned that the reimbursement percentage is finalized in the project funding agreement and could move slightly but is unlikely to swing dramatically.
The board discussed borrowing the full project amount and submitting a debt-exclusion question to voters. The consultant said the town must borrow the total project amount and then submit invoices to MSBA for reimbursement; once the project funding agreement is received (the consultant anticipated an Oct. 29 decision), the town will have roughly 120 days to execute the funding agreement and proceed.
Board members asked about potential tariff impacts and contingencies. The consultant said the estimate included construction contingencies and high escalation allowances due to market volatility and urged an early-winter bidding strategy to reduce risk.
The board agreed to include a placeholder article on the fall warrant: a debt-exclusion question contingent on the project funding agreement and the final approved reimbursement figure. The consultant said towns can modify the warrant dollar amount before town meeting if the final project funding agreement changes the estimate.
Why it matters: A roof failure could cause escalating damage to school structures and learning spaces; MSBA participation would greatly reduce local costs, but the town must still borrow and place a debt-exclusion on the ballot for the town'share of the work.
Next steps: The district will track MSBA feedback and return with the project funding agreement and final numbers. The board and district will plan public information for town meeting and any required special election.
