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Schools feasibility study will shape town capital priorities, committee told
Summary
Committee members said the Blackstone-Millville MSBA feasibility study and a possible two-building high school could create major local costs and urged early planning for town-owned properties (including the JFK complex) while noting regional school-district agreements constrain unilateral town action.
The Capital Outlay Committee spent substantial time discussing the Blackstone-Millville Regional (BMR) School District’s MSBA feasibility study and its implications for town capital planning. Jeff Silverstein said the district’s two-building proposal (high school site and Hartnett) could involve "massive" expenditures and recommended the town begin planning proactively for potential reuses of town-owned buildings if the district’s plan reduces local school-space needs.
Why it matters: If the MSBA feasibility process results in a town-level vote to proceed, the project would likely trigger significant local spending, affect where students are housed during construction and require coordination under the regional school-district agreement.
Discussion highlights included: Unidentified Speaker (S5) estimated a high-school project cost in the range of $150,000,000 and noted a reimbursement percentage (discussed in the meeting as roughly 59–60 percent) that would leave a substantial local share; he emphasized those are estimates and subject to MSBA calculations. Committee members repeatedly cautioned that decisions about repurposing district-owned buildings (for municipal offices, a senior center, or other uses) must follow negotiations with the regional district and could not proceed unilaterally.
Committee members agreed the feasibility study and a possible town-meeting vote a year from now would set a clear timeline for when town-level capital planning must firm up. Members urged the administration to incorporate plausible school-related expenditures into the capital plan so the town is not surprised by large, immediate costs if the MSBA process advances.
Next steps: Committee will await further MSBA and school-district updates, coordinate with the Board of Selectmen and consider preliminary options for municipal space needs that respect the regional agreement.
