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North Middlesex committee reviews Ashby survey as community debates reopening and costs
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Summary
Committee reviewed a 618-response Ashby survey and a town select-board letter urging careful deliberation before lifting the pause on Ashby Elementary. Responses favored reopening as a school but showed uncertainty about paying for repairs; the committee set a vote window and requested cost breakdowns.
The North Middlesex Regional School Committee on Jan. 13 reviewed a community survey and a letter from the Ashby Select Board about the future of Ashby Elementary School, amid a tight timeline for making a decision on whether to lift the school’s operational pause.
Carla Lima, who presented the Ashby town survey, said 618 residents responded and that a majority ranked “fully operating as a public elementary school” as the top reuse preference. She said roughly 41% of respondents said they would support an override for upgrades and repairs, 38% said they were unsure, and that 61% supported a town assessment of the building’s condition. Lima said many open comments flagged cost, maintenance, staffing, parking and accessibility as principal concerns.
The committee also had a letter from the Ashby Select Board read into the record urging the committee not to rush a decision and asking the district to present complete budget figures and options before any vote. The letter, dated Dec. 30, 2025, asked that Ashby Elementary be considered for reopening in August 2026 if feasible.
Public commenters pressed the committee for clarity. Patrick McPhee told the committee: “If they have to raise my taxes, do it,” and urged the district to stop what he described as indecision over years of facility planning. Another resident, Kyle Brown, provided his name and address and asked what the district’s plan would be for the school.
Committee members and district staff pressed for more granular financial detail. School Committee members asked administration to break out the previously cited $1.32 million reopening estimate into staffing versus capital components, and to show scenarios that illustrate the budget impact of reopening Ashby versus other configurations.
Administration noted two related surveys were conducted: the town of Ashby survey (the 618 responses presented by Lima) and a district K–4 family survey that was still being compiled; the district’s internal survey had a different response pattern and will be released to the committee in the next day or two, administrators said.
Committee members also debated options to reduce district costs, including the possibility of the town leasing back part of the building to defray operations, and cautioned about MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) clawback rules if multiple buildings are closed. Superintendent Brad Morgan said MSBA could still fund renovation grants in the future but that closing a building can limit eligibility for additional capacity funding for years.
The committee requested the requested materials be provided before the next full meeting, and asked administration for: a detailed staffing/cost breakdown for the $1.32M reopening estimate; clarified counts of students in special programs omitted from the public slides; and a clear set of options and budget scenarios to inform the Jan. 27 meeting where the committee expects to consider formal votes. The committee did not make a final decision Jan. 13.
Provenance: Committee presentation and discussion of the Ashby letter and survey (Carla Lima) and related public comments (Patrick McPhee, Kyle Brown).
