Castine Selectboard releases draft RFP for Round School lease, schedules public comment and possible March town meeting

The Castine Selectboard on Feb. 12 released a draft request for proposals for a lease of the Round School and said it will take public comment on the draft at the board’s Feb. 17 meeting. Town Manager Derik Goodine told the board the draft RFP is now public and that the board is considering asking voters at a special town meeting in March to authorize a lease of up to five years.

The RFP and the possible March meeting matter because the length and terms of a lease would shape who can operate programs in the building and how the town oversees those operations. Board members and residents at the meeting raised questions about program types, contract language and building access that the town said it will resolve before soliciting final proposals.

Goodine said the town holds original Round School plans in the CEO office but is not certain whether those reflect the final built layout, and he reported that several letters and emails to current tenants have gone unanswered. Chair Dan Leader said the board is still working with the town attorney on details related to tenant access and next steps.

Public commenters pressed the board for clearer limits and programmatic expectations. Resident Bobby Vagt asked what differences the new lease will include compared with the previous lease; Leader said he was not prepared to provide details at that time. Selectboard member Amy Gutow said feedback from the earlier public hearing indicated residents thought a 10-year lease was too long and called the RFP’s proposed maximum of five years a reasonable approach; she also said the board should consider a three-year lease with an option to extend for two additional years.

Roberta Boczkiewicz urged the board to add language in Section 6.2 requiring better communication with the Selectboard and the community, including a report to the Selectboard twice a year. Goodine said the RFP should build in operational flexibility such as hours; Gutow emphasized multi-use possibilities, including early childhood programming and adult education.

Resident Rachel Sawyer, who reviewed the draft, recommended that Section 6.1 explicitly reference pre-K after-school care and asked about the legal status of the current lease; the board said the lease is under legal review. Sawyer also raised a question about whether the facility contains a functional kitchen, cautioning that the town should avoid introducing misinformation into the RFP.

The board moved into executive session at 5:37 p.m. under state law to consult the town attorney on a legal matter, returning to open session at 6:07 p.m. The board then voted to adjourn at 6:08 p.m. Minutes were taken by Town Clerk Susan Macomber; executive session notes were recorded by Town Manager Derik Goodine.

The Selectboard’s next opportunity for public comment on the RFP is the Feb. 17 meeting; the board said it will continue to work with the town attorney on tenant access and finalize RFP language before soliciting formal proposals.