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Committee addresses Brown School fence, crosswalk and parking‑lot light; staff to pursue homeowners and town coordination
Summary
Committee members and facilities staff discussed a dilapidated fence that abuts the Brown School parking lot, a missing stop sign and crosswalk at the Dartmouth Road exit, and a damaged parking‑lot light.
Committee members and facilities staff discussed perimeter safety at the Brown School, including a collapsed fence along the school parking lot, a missing stop sign and crosswalk at the Dartmouth Road exit, and a damaged light fixture in the front parking area.
A committee member described the fence as being in "complete disrepair" and said sections are toppled and present a safety risk for students. Mike, a facilities staff member, said portions of the fence appear to be on private property owned by abutting homeowners and recommended staff open discussions with the homeowners before doing replacement work. "Maybe we offer to replace it, but they...I don't know that we replace ours and leave theirs in place," Mike said, adding the district should verify property lines with Left Field and RDA and coordinate with homeowners.
On the Dartmouth Road exit, staff and committee members said the intended stop sign and crosswalk were not installed during construction and that the crosswalk now appears to be on town property. Mike said installing the stop sign and crosswalk likely falls to the town highway department and that the work must meet ADA requirements, including curb cuts at both ends of the crosswalk. He noted the project could instead qualify for Safe Routes to School or Complete Streets grant funding.
Committee members also raised a damaged light pole in the front (Village) parking lot. Mike said he asked the technology department to check video of the incident and will follow up with Todd to plan repairs or replacement.
Funding: committee members asked whether the fence and crosswalk work could come from Brown School closeout funds; facilities staff said the Brown closeout has already been closed out and that immediate costs are small (staff estimated under $20,000 and suggested operating funds could cover the work). MSBA closeout reallocation remains possible once the MSBA formally closes out the Brown School project, but staff said that money is not currently available for immediate repairs.
Next steps: staff will verify property lines with Left Field and RDA, contact homeowners to discuss fence replacement options, follow up with the town highway department on crosswalk and stop sign installation and ADA curb cuts, and check video regarding the damaged light for follow-up with Todd. The subcommittee asked for an update at the next facilities meeting.
