Committee readies detail for $3.4M Collicott/Cunningham renovation request and MSBA feasibility article

School committee members said an upcoming Capital Improvement Planning Committee meeting will include a detailed presentation on the district’s FY26 capital requests, including a major request tied to Collicott and Cunningham renovation work and an MSBA feasibility article.

Committee members and facilities staff said the FY26 capital request list totals about $13 million across town departments. The largest single school request discussed at the meeting was described as roughly $3.4 million to complete renovation work at Cunningham/Collicott (including a fourth floor and library work). The committee said facilities director Tom McCarthy will present project details at the capital committee meeting the next morning and that school committee members will be present to answer questions.

The school committee discussed timing. Members said that, to meet construction and summer schedule needs, earlier approvals (February town meeting) would be preferable, but they acknowledged timing is tight; the capital committee was scheduled to review the request as part of the FY26 process. Committee members also said a separate warrant article had been drafted for an MSBA feasibility study and would move through the capital and warrant committee processes ahead of the special town meeting.

The capital planning committee will hold additional hearings with departments on other FY26 line items, including a new fire engine and town technology requests. The school committee said it would report back on outcomes following the capital planning meeting.