What is needed........Information!
It is my opinion, which is most likely not valued to high by some, is the taxpayers need and deserve some information, now! Since we seem to have a location, how about an estimate of the cost of this project, as in the size in square feet along with the projected number of students/ What grades do we plane on putting into this building. How many total number of students in these grades are presently in the system. How many if any, are from outside the district, attending through the districts participation in school choice which allows students from outside the district to attend our schools?


When this subject first surfaced in the form of a feasibility study, the mentioned cost was $32 million dollars at some meetings and in newspaper articles.


On a contract for project management services (design,bid,build project) dated June 25, 2009, there is a section in the back that has a financial lay out for detailed staffing hours and rates for services - revised June 29, 2009. Not sure at this time if this was discussed at any posted public open meeting.


listed on the first page of this revision is total fees by year:




          2009                        2010                        2011                        2012                     Totals


$59,250.00            $209,740.00            $384,399.00            $336,423.00            $989,813.00


That is the same number I asked Carl Weber about at a BOS meeting back in either December 2011 or early 2012 that was held at the cafeteria at NRHS. I will find those minutes. I asked Mr. Weber if that was a contract amount between SBS and the Town of Templeton, he quietly stated yes. The reason I asked this question was because it showed up on invoices to the Town from SBS.


That 2009 contract had listed "between Narragansett Regional school district / Town of Templeton and SBS


A contract for feasibility/schematic design phase for $75,000.00 (not-to-exceed) was signed on Agust 13, 2013 between the Town of Templeton and SBS.


So what I believe is needed now is an informational meeting that is recorded and shown in a very timely manner is an estimated size of building, number of students from which grades and where will the students from Templeton Center school go during construction if we get that far. I believe there also needs to be in writing from the district school committee that there will be no move, no integration of students from the present Phillipston elementary school. I believe this is why the district should withdraw as soon as possible from school choice, ending the practice of taking in students from outside the district.  Templeton taxpayers should not be held nor should they expect to carry the load of other towns as is the case with the present dispatch agreement. Phillipston currently pays $57,000.00 for all dispatch services while Templeton taxpayers must carry the burden of OPEB costs, costs of a building with lighting, water, heat and maintenance costs along with payroll, sick time, time off arrangements such as 4 hours off when Templeton Town offices close for snow days. The only way any students from Phillipston should be able to attend a new Templeton elementary school would be from a 10 million dollar buy in from the Town of Phillipston.


I am sorry I do not trust the Narragansett Regional School District to look out for the taxpayers of Templeton. It is nice to be neighborly and I went to school with the Chairman of the Board of selectmen of Phillipston, I know some good people in Phillipston but this is business and just as Phillipston officials have looked out for their Town, I think it is time for Templeton taxpayers to receive the same. Do you look out for your neighbor or your family first?


Before you call me a nut case, take a ride to NRHS and look at the wood chip boiler project.


Jeff Bennett