Holyoke’s finance committee on Jan. 14 advanced three separate appropriations to repair and upgrade roofs at school buildings and directed staff to file corrected language for a fourth order after a square‑footage error was discovered.

Chair opened the meeting and read three orders: an additional $636,812 for Elmer McMahon Elementary School (in addition to a prior $4,498,497 appropriation); $5,753,418 for partial roof replacement and code‑required upgrades at Morris A. Donahue Elementary School; and $6,739,962 for partial roof replacement and code‑required upgrades at Claire Sullivan Middle School. Sean Sheehy, director of facilities and maintenance for the schools, told the committee the McMahon supplemental appropriation reflects extra square footage that had been omitted from earlier paperwork and that MSBA flagged the discrepancy.

Sheehy said the correct square footage for the McMahon project is 49,641 square feet and asked that the bond/order language be corrected before the matter goes to the full City Council. Treasurer Rory Casey and city solicitor Mike Bissonnette advised the committee that the city typically introduces a new order with corrected language (the mayor must submit financial‑order changes), so the committee voted to send item 2 back to the auditor and to have a new order filed that contains the corrected square footage; Casey said he would prepare the revised language for the next council agenda.

On the Donahue order, Sheehy displayed the MSBA letter of acceptance and a project spreadsheet showing a maximum facilities grant of $4.4 million toward an estimated $5.7 million total project — effectively an 80% reimbursement rate. He described the Donahue scope as a partial roof replacement plus bathroom renovations, door hardware, an electric wheelchair lift for the stage, widened doors, handrails and fire alarm upgrades. Sheehy said MSBA now reimburses certain accessibility/code upgrades that previously were ineligible, and that bid savings typically flow to contingency or may be returned to MSBA as appropriate.

Committee members asked about roof longevity and budget impact. Sheehy said the new PVC roofing product carries a manufacturer warranty (20 years) in addition to contractor warranties, and that improved installation approaches reduce recurring leakage. Treasurer Casey reviewed borrowing assumptions and capacity, saying the administration is using a conservative annual debt‑payment ceiling of $5.5 million and that Holyoke currently holds an A+ rating.

After discussion the committee voted to approve the Donahue and Claire Sullivan appropriations and to advance them to the City Council. The corrected McMahon order will be filed and placed on the next meeting’s agenda for formal council action.

The committee’s next procedural step is the City Council consideration of the approved orders; staff said the corrected McMahon language will be filed in time for the Tuesday agenda.