Finance committee approves three school roof appropriations; projects eligible for MSBA reimbursement

The Holyoke Finance Committee on Sept. 8 approved three bond authorizations to replace school roofs and forwarded the measures to the full City Council for final approval.

Sean Sheedy, director of facilities and maintenance for Holyoke Public Schools, and Sean Mangano, director of finance for the school district, presented the projects. The appropriations are: $8,691,405 for the Kelly School roof (removal of existing EPDM and installation of about 68,000 square feet of PVC membrane), $4,498,497 for the Lieutenant Elmer J. McMahon Elementary School roof (about 35,000 square feet) and $12,000,940 for Holyoke High School (about 168,000 square feet). All three projects are planned for summer 2026 and include costs incidental to construction.

School officials said the projects are accelerated repair-style roof replacements and that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is reviewing eligibility and will reimburse an eligible portion of the costs. Sheedy said MSBA now reimburses a flat percentage for accessibility/code updates tied to projects; because the Kelly and McMahon roofs trigger thresholds tied to building value, some ADA and accessibility upgrades are included in those budgets. Holyoke High’s roof did not trigger the same threshold, so its estimate reflects roof work only.

Sheedy and Mangano said the presented figures include contingencies and represent upper-limit estimates; previous accelerated projects in the district came in lower than initial estimates. The presenters noted warranties and typical design choices: the district expects modern PVC roofing systems with 20‑year warranties and that many existing district roofs date to 1995 and have far exceeded their expected service life.

Councilors asked about MSBA caps and the reimbursement rate. Presenters said the MSBA’s reimbursement is typically 80% of eligible costs but noted some line‑item caps and exclusions can reduce the effective reimbursement; final reimbursement will be calculated when actual construction bids are submitted. Councilor Jardine asked whether the council could rescind or reduce authorizations if bids are lower; school staff said they would work with the mayor and council to return with adjusted figures if necessary.

All three bond authorizations were approved by the committee for referral to the full City Council.