The Holyoke City Council finance committee voted to authorize submission of statements of interest (SOIs) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for three accelerated repair program (ARP) projects and recommended appropriations totaling $500,000 to begin schematic design work for five schools.

Maintenance administrator Sean C. Sheedy told the committee the SOI request is non‑appropriative and seeks permission to apply for the MSBA open enrollment for 2025. The three SOI projects are: conversion of Donahue School’s HVAC to a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system; replacement of exterior windows and doors in Donahue’s new wing; and replacement of McMahon School’s exterior doors in the courtyard. Sheedy said MSBA’s ARP qualifies for an 80% reimbursement if the projects are accepted. “As of the date of this letter, all of these schools have a critical need for the requested projects to come to fruition,” Sheedy said, and the MSBA deadline for certified council action for the open ARP SOI is March 21, 2025.

Separately, the committee considered five schematic design appropriations associated with an MSBA invitation. The committee recommended a combined $500,000 for schematic design work apportioned as follows: Holyoke High School $150,000; Kelly Elementary School $100,000; McMahon School $100,000; Donahue School $75,000; Sullivan School $75,000. Sheedy said the schematic phase is now used in place of a feasibility study and that schematic fees are calculated historically as roughly 2–3% of an expected project cost; he estimated the three projects discussed in the SOI could total $10–11 million, with an approximate city share near $2 million after the 80% MSBA reimbursement.

Committee members approved the SOI submission and voted to forward the schematic design appropriations as a package to the full city council; the full council must take separate votes on each project. The transcript records committee approval by voice vote. The committee also noted MSBA will move ARP to a biennial cycle going forward, and a faster MSBA deadline applied to the schematic appropriation (certified vote required by March 3, 2025 for the schematic submission). Committee members said earlier emergency McMahon boiler costs (~$198,000) were covered through another ventilation grant (IVAC) and will not require a city appropriation.

If the MSBA accepts any project from Holyoke, the city would proceed through the MSBA’s owner’s project manager and designer assignments and then advance schematic design, construction documents and bidding under MSBA procedures.