| School Project Details Discussed | |||||
Reporter TEMPLETON –– The School Building Committee inched closer to naming a person to sign legal agreements with the state on the new school project on Tuesday. Voters approved a new elementary building school project at Town Meeting last month. The existing schools are 75 and 90 years old and suffer from structural issues. The committee also approved a measure to start authorizing the design and construction documents with Symmes Maini and McKee Associates and Colliers International. Interim Superintendent Dr. Steve Hemman will reach out to interim Town Administrator Bob Markel and the Massachusetts School Building Authority about who should be the signing authority on Wednesday. It could be either one of them or Board of Selectmen Chairman John Columbus. Mr. Hemman said that although the school will be a town-funded project, the MSBA only deals with either regional or town officials, not a combination. Although they expected to appoint the designee on Tuesday, there was some discussion. The consensus was that everyone needs to work together and be on the same page. Diane Haley Brooks, who represents the selectmen on the committee, said she doesn’t want one individual making a decision for the entire building committee, as that led to problems in the past. “Although we’re a board and represent the town, it’s a town project and I think the town should be the signing authority,” she said. She said the selectmen should be involved in the process and said they can appoint someone to sign a contract on their behalf. Chairman Kirk Moschetti suggested that Mr. Markel be the designee since he makes a report to selectmen during the bi-monthly meetings. “He’s very well-read on municipal laws, and it’s easier to reach him since he holds regular office hours,” Mr. Moschetti said. Like Ms. Brooks, he said one member of the board shouldn’t make the decisions, and that a majority vote should rule. Mr. Hemman said he’s going to verify with the MSBA on who is the final authority and ask for permission. Ms. Brooks made a recommendation that the selectmen put on the agenda who they want to sign the documents at their meeting next week on Jan. 11. Joel Seeley, of SMMA, said they are now in the design and development phase. He suggested to bring manageable pieces of design through April on the first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the central office at Narragansett. Jonathan Winikur, of Colliers International, said he received so many calls from the MSBA about how proud they are that Templeton stuck with it and how it is well-deserved. Factoring in reimbursement from MSBA, the costs to Templeton is $24.8 million. The extra annual residential tax will be $1.74 per $1,000 home valuation for the length of the bond. |
My Name is Paul H Cosentino. I started this Blog in 2011 because of what I believe to be wrongdoings in town government. This Blog is to keep the citizens of Templeton informed. It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns.
Ok. So let's think this one through.
ReplyDeleteWHO IS PAYING FOR THE PROJECT?
The government entity PAYING for the project should be the signatory on the "legal documents".
Let's look to towns around Templeton that have built an elementary school and are part of a regional school district...like Athol, Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Westminster.
When those towns built their own elementary schools THAT TOWN was responsible for the project!
Templeton now has a town administrator form of government. Town Administrator should be the legal signature on these documents.
Rumor has it there was some accounting issues with the borrowing for the original $550,000 and the manner in which the SCHOOL DEPT handled THAT borrowing added an additional $209,000 in costs to the Town Of Templeton ...that will be paid from Free Cash?
its unfathomable that John Columbus would even be considered as the check signer, He is first and foremost a School committee member who has fought for everything school related regardless of the costs to the town, What happens when his term expires as selectman, and he has nothing to lose financially as he is only a renter in town and pays no real estate taxes
ReplyDeleteDr. Hemman does not live in this Town, at least not that I am aware of, so he should not sign anything. John Columbus and Ms. Haley Brown are in the same boat putting the schools first, and neither of them can deny it. Who is going to stand up and own this mess, when this project sinks the Town? Remember the 1.74 figure, when you can't afford to pay your taxes anymore. Bev.
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DeleteIf you think "schooling" and education are the same, well you have been schooled. If you think schooling and education are opposites, you have been well educated.
ReplyDeleteanonymous.
How can anyone think the $1.74 per 1000 in evaluation is going to be accurate. We don't have an audit for the past 3 years. We dont know where we stand now.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks the school or the Police station will come in under budget is delusional. The tax rates are "best scenario".
Maybe this has all been worked out, but how can we know how much we will pay until we know how much we are going to receive from Phillipston for the students. I'm sure part of the reason I haven't heard about it is because the school system would love to overfund itself with those funds....
This town is in dire shape as long as we keep allowing the school system to and it employees to run this town down the drain..........