Committee urged to 'keep an open mind' as three building options will be studied

Committee members on Nov. 20 reviewed the three MSBA study options for Marguerite E. Small and urged sustained openness while the feasibility study narrows alternatives.

One member asked the superintendent to display a slide showing the condition of the school’s electrical room; members said the image—described in the meeting as a compelling depiction of the building’s condition—helped inform public discussion at the special town meeting. The committee discussed three MSBA options: a stand‑alone MES building, consolidation via an add‑on at the Station Avenue campus, or consolidation on a third site. "These were the options that MSBA has asked us to consider in order to go through this process," the superintendent said.

Several members urged broad study of alternatives. "I really hope that everybody has a ginormously open mind now that this vote has passed," said one committee member, urging members to remain open‑minded through the next four to six months as options are narrowed. A select board representative said some select board members voiced concern at town meeting that the committee could be "locked into" a single option; the superintendent replied the district intends to "explore all the options, present the options to all of the decision makers." The select board representative framed the concern as a request for continued dialogue.

Members also flagged jurisdictional and property questions for Option 1 (building on the current Emmy Small property). One member described the property as "in the air," meaning ownership or availability questions remain and will require coordination beyond the building committee. The chair said the district already notified the relevant property‑use authority (the utilization body referenced in the meeting) to set aside potential acreage in case an on‑site option moves forward.

Committee members stressed that site feasibility, cost estimates and project timelines will be needed during the feasibility study. A financially focused member asked the chair and administrators to prepare an initial project plan and preliminary cost estimates so the finance‑oriented committee members can review them when feasibility work begins.

The committee did not make a site decision; members agreed to study all three options and to return in January with work informed by MSBA’s formal invitation and certified enrollment numbers.