School committee asks select board to place $3.5M debt-exclusion question for Hood School modular replacement on November ballot

The committee voted unanimously to ask the select board to consider a $3.5 million debt-exclusion to fund replacement of modular classrooms in the district (option 2), to be included on the October town meeting warrant and the November state election ballot.

Administration described the proposal as a fiscally responsible scaled replacement to address deteriorating modular units. Chair Jeff Freeman and other members said the district must mount an outreach campaign to explain the project and its taxpayer impact, and acknowledged that if the debt exclusion fails the district would need to explore alternative timing or funding. "I move that the school committee recommend that the select board consider a debt exclusion of 3,500,000 for the purposes of replacing the modular units... and that this be presented at the October town meeting and added to the ballot for the November state election," a member said; the motion passed 5–0.

Officials said the proposed $3.5 million figure includes contingency for soft costs and demolition, and that town finance officers will produce taxpayer-impact estimates for select-board materials. If the select board approves placement on the warrant, the final vote will be held by voters in November.