Holliston invited into MSBA eligibility; committee approves joint communication, readies next steps

Holliston has been invited into the Massachusetts School Building Authority eligibility period for a potential new Holliston High School, the School Committee announced Monday night and approved a communication to share the news with the public after the MSBA’s vote the next morning.

The committee approved the announcement in a formal motion and roll-call vote, then discussed timing and content with Select Board members who were present. A Select Board representative described the invitation as the culmination of years of submissions and formally invited the School Committee to a Dec. 22 meeting to begin planning the MSBA process. Committee members recommended delaying detailed FAQs until after the joint meeting so the two bodies can issue a coordinated memo.

Why it matters: MSBA eligibility starts a multi‑year process that typically includes feasibility studies, multiple town meeting votes and possible ballot questions. Committee members and select‑board representatives stressed this is a first procedural step: feasibility work and subsequent state decisions will determine what state reimbursement, if any, the town may receive and how the project proceeds.

The committee discussed next milestones and timelines. Staff indicated that, if the MSBA vote is finalized, the district will be expected to make a commitment to vote on feasibility by the spring (May timeframe referenced) and that the full building‑committee formation will likely occur in January. Officials noted multiple opportunities for public input during the feasibility and design phases and said the town will publish further information and a progress page once initial MSBA materials are available.

Members also edited the planned public message’s tone and content, agreeing to remove some qualifying language and to hold more detailed FAQs and technical materials for a later joint memo with the Select Board. The motion to approve the communication passed on a roll‑call vote at the meeting.

The committee said additional details about MSBA next steps, schedules and community engagement will be released after the Dec. 22 Select Board meeting and the MSBA procedural vote.