Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Onancock School topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Onancock council approves up to $800,000 for Historic Onancock School roof and HVAC repairs
Summary
On Oct. 27 the Onancock Town Council voted 5-1 to amend the fiscal 2026 budget, authorizing up to $800,000 for repairs to the roof and HVAC at the town-owned Historic Onancock School after debate over lease responsibilities and public concerns about oversight.
The Onancock Town Council on Oct. 27 voted 5-1 to amend its fiscal 2026 budget to authorize an appropriation of up to $800,000 to repair the roof and HVAC system at the town-owned Historic Onancock School (HOS).
Councilmember Sarah Nock moved the amendment and Councilmember Lisa Fiege seconded. Councilmember Joy Marino voted against the appropriation; Councilmembers Fiege, Omar Grubb, Cynthia Holdren, Ashley Pettit and Nock voted in favor. Council discussion focused on whether the town or the school's lessee should shoulder major capital work and whether the council should wait for a revised lease before committing town funds.
During debate, Councilmember Cynthia Holdren framed the choice sharply: "do we want the school to function or not?" Councilmembers Lisa Fiege and Sarah Nock argued that delaying repairs would raise costs and that the building is town property with an interest in being preserved. Councilmember Omar Grubb noted resident opposition and urged the council to weigh other town repair needs.
Several members of the public urged caution and asked for transparency on procurement and oversight. Rosemary Paparo, speaking during public comment, said mechanical engineers she consulted suggested replacing the existing boiler rather than installing split heating units; she provided contact information and recommended a mechanical assessment. Pam Fitzpatrick submitted a written statement criticizing the procurement process used to assemble contractor estimates and asked the council to follow the town's procurement policy.
The final motion removed language tying the appropriation to a simultaneous lease revision. The vote authorizes the town manager and staff to proceed with repairs up to the stated amount; council did not specify exact contract awards or a procurement timeline during the meeting. The council moved to closed session later in the evening to discuss the town manager transition and certified that the closed-session discussion conformed to the stated purpose.
The amendment takes effect as part of the fiscal 2026 budget revisions; the council did not set immediate contract approval or a schedule for bids during the Oct. 27 meeting. Further steps, including any required procurement actions or a formal engineering assessment, were not finalized at the meeting.
