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Committee tables motion to transfer Ditson Place to city, seeks 60‑day plan
Summary
The committee voted to table a motion to declare Ditson Place surplus and transfer it to the city amid concerns about deed restrictions, the adult learning center and youth‑center occupancy and the district's extraordinary maintenance costs; members requested a 60‑day municipal coordination plan.
Member Keegan prompted a long discussion on July 22 about declaring several district properties surplus and transferring them to the city, focusing mainly on Ditson Place. Proponents argued the district currently acts as landlord for non‑student uses, pays utilities and emergency repairs (citing a recent $30,000 boiler repair), and that transferring the property would relieve the district of ongoing maintenance burdens.
Several members and the mayor cautioned that Ditson Place includes the adult learning center and a youth center, and that deed restrictions for educational use may complicate a transfer or reuse. The mayor said the city is exploring new facilities for DPW and public‑safety needs but that budgetary and operational consequences must be spelled out before a transfer.
Given those unresolved questions, the committee voted to table the transfer motion and asked the mayor and administration to produce a concrete plan and answers to members' questions within roughly 60 days so the committee can revisit the issue. Members stressed the need to protect the adult learning center and youth services while resolving extraordinary‑maintenance and chargeback arrangements.
