KRSD rep says districtwide repairs could top $250 million; town urged to consider liaison to School Board

Art Bobruff, Springfield’s representative to the Kearsarge Regional School District, told the Board of Selectmen on April 28 that consultants estimate roughly $250 million to complete building improvements across the district and that number may be low because of inflation.

Bobruff laid out several options and cost brackets: about $60 million to refresh all district buildings; $80–90 million to renovate two elementary schools (he identified four elementary schools in the district with Sutton and Simonds listed as possible closures while New London and Bradford would remain open); $90–100 million to build a single new elementary to serve the district; about $80 million to bring the high school up to code and about $14 million for the middle school.

Selectman Steve Dzubak asked how the projects would be funded and whether state or federal aid could contribute. Bobruff said nearly all funding presently comes from property taxes, and he said the state contribution is about $6,000 per student when it "should be $7,000." He also told the Selectmen that a school‑voucher program recently passed with an unlimited income cap and said, as reported to the Board, there is no practical way to track how voucher funds are spent once distributed.

Bobruff suggested Springfield designate a liaison or send a town representative to School Board meetings; the Board discussed Zoom attendance for volunteers and indicated the town is not returning to Zoom for volunteer participation but could arrange in‑person representation. The next Kearsarge Regional School District meeting is scheduled for May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the SAU office in New London.

The Selectmen did not take action on the estimates at the April 28 meeting; Bobruff left the meeting at 4:53 p.m.