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Citizens advisory panel flags wetlands, palmland conveyance and schedule risks for two new schools
Summary
The Citizen Advisory Review Panel reported 77 referendum projects; panelists identified wetlands at Yerby Track and a palmland conveyance as potential schedule risks, urging shovels in the ground by Jan. 2026 to meet an August 2027 opening.
Jay Lombardo, representing the Citizens Advisory Review Panel (CARP), briefed the Dorchester School District Two board on Sept. 17 findings and summarized them for the Sept. 22 meeting: 77 referendum projects are under review, 58 are in work or complete, and approximately $41 million — about 22% of referendum funds — have been spent or encumbered.
Lombardo told trustees the panel lowered the safety and security completion rate to 85 percent because of the addition of door alarms and voiced concern about recent local reports of an armed student at a middle school. He also warned that two capital projects carry schedule risk: palmland conveyance for a new school and a wetlands issue at Yerby Track.
"The carp views that shovels need to be in the ground by January 2026 if it's at all possible so we can meet the August 2027 date for school," Lombardo said, and asked the board to consider alternative plans if wetlands or conveyance issues cannot be resolved in time.
Lombardo reported 15 projects awaiting starts; two were slightly delayed by weather and one project — the ponds — was well behind schedule. He said the CARP will meet again on Dec. 10 and offered to forward a formal memorandum to the board outlining the concerns.
Facilities chair Farnsworth and other board members thanked the CARP and encouraged a formal memo to aid discussions with county partners and developers. No formal board action was taken on the CARP report; district staff and CARP agreed to continue coordination.
