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Dennis Select Board delays demolition of Wixen School, asks for committee materials and abatement details
Summary
After extensive public comment urging reuse and preservation, the board voted unanimously to delay planned demolition of the Wixen School and requested the prior committee’s body of work and hazardous‑material abatement documentation before deciding next steps.
The Dennis Select Board voted unanimously on June 16 to delay any demolition of the Wixen School and asked town administration to return with the previous committee’s reports and all hazardous‑material abatement documentation.
The motion was offered after a lengthy public and board debate about whether to tear down the aging building or attempt partial preservation. Jim, who moved the motion, told the board that many residents want the community to “take a second look” at possibilities to save the gymnasium, auditorium and some classrooms rather than pursuing full demolition. Administration’s earlier briefing warned that asbestos, possible PCBs and a failing septic system add complexity and could require removing structural elements regardless of reuse options.
Why it matters: residents and advocates said saving parts of the building could preserve community amenities and reduce long‑term expense if adaptive reuse proved feasible; administration said hazardous‑material abatement and septic replacement are real constraints that affect cost and scope.
What the board asked for next: the select board directed administration to assemble and present the full prior committee record, any prior feasibility analyses, and the available documentation on asbestos/PCB findings and septic condition. The board will revisit a reconstitution of the prior Wixen committee only after reviewing that material. The motion to delay demolition passed with no opposing votes recorded.
Public reaction: Speakers at the meeting urged a timely process that uses the previous committee’s work rather than restarting from scratch; others said the town should act quickly because delays can increase cost. Several residents and committee members recommended engaging the YMCA and other partners as possible reuse partners.
What’s next: Administration will return to the board with the committee materials and abatement documentation and place the item on a future meeting agenda for a decision on whether to reconstitute the committee or proceed with abatement/demolition planning.
