ROCHESTER — The Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School District is sharing updated information with residents in advance of a June 20 districtwide vote on a proposed school building project.
The School Committee voted Wednesday to place the question before voters in the district’s five member communities — Acushnet, Carver, Lakeville, Mattapoisett and Rochester. The vote will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 20.
“This date was selected to help avoid additional construction cost escalation and to keep the project timeline moving forward,” said Superintendent-Director Aaron Polansky. “Holding the vote on a Saturday also allows residents an entire day to get to the polls without needing to work around weekday schedules.”
The district forwarded the same proposal to voters last year. Only 5,035 residents — out of more than 39,000 across the district (less that 13 percent) — cast ballots.
“As we prepare for another vote, it’s important for residents to understand that bringing the project back is not about ignoring the previous outcome,” said Superintendent-Director Polansky. “The district believes it is the fiscally responsible decision to give voters another opportunity to consider a project that could allow the district to build a new school with significant state reimbursement, rather than relying solely on local taxpayers to fund major repairs to the existing building. It will never be less expensive to build a new high school than it is today.”
The current school opened in 1975 and no longer allows the district to deliver a 21st century technical education that allows students to succeed post-graduation.
As part of its Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) application, the Old Colony School Building Committee, comprised of community representatives and those with finance and construction expertise, studied both new construction and renovation at scheduled and announced public meetings.
The Building Committee determined that a new school would be the most educationally and financially responsible option.
The MSBA has approved the project for an estimated reimbursement of approximately 60.49% of eligible costs. About $140 million of the cost will be covered between MSBA reimbursement and additional Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Mass Save grants and incentives.
Maintaining eligibility for that state reimbursement requires the project to remain the same as the one previously submitted and approved by the MSBA.
Under MSBA rules, communities cannot substantially change the project’s scope or cost and remain in the program. Making major changes would require the district to withdraw and restart the process, which could delay a project by six to 10 years.
If approved by voters in June, the new school is expected to open in 2030.
According to district estimates, if the proposed project does not move forward, the existing school building is projected to require at least $157 million in repairs from 2026 to 2035 to address aging infrastructure and building systems. Local taxpayers would pick up the entire cost because MSBA does not reimburse most repairs.
Needed repairs would address facility conditions but would not expand the building or add new programs in high-demand careers such as HVAC, Plumbing, and Dental Assisting.
Additionally, the current building has aging systems and limited space when demand for career technical education is rising.
For more information about the project, including frequently asked questions and a tax impact calculator, visit OldColonyBuildingProject.com.
“Our goal is to make sure that residents have clear and accurate information about the condition of the current building, the proposed project, and the process ahead,” said Superintendent-Director Polansky. “We encourage anyone with questions to review the information available and participate in the upcoming opportunities to learn more.”
###
Discover more from John Guilfoil Public Relations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.