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NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – The Northbridge School Committee agreed Tuesday to seek the support of selectmen to submit a “statement of interest’’ to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Before the application can go forward, it must contain the signatures of the town manager and all members of the School Committee and Board of Selectmen, Schools Superintendent Nancy Spitulnik said.
The School Building Authority will not support a school building project unless it has the full support of community leaders behind it, she noted.
It is the start of a lengthy process. If the Building Authority offers state funding to replace, renovate or modernize the schools, it begins with a feasibility study that could cost as much as $500,000.
The application lists each of the schools being considered for improvement or replacement and deficiencies within each of those of school. The W. Edward Balmer School on Crescent Street is listed as the district's priority.
The Northbridge Elementary School on Cross Street, which houses preschool through grade 1 students, was built in 1952. It is overcrowded, its life extended with an expansion in 1982 and the addition of six modular classrooms in 2000.
“We have also converted several closets into OT [occupational therapy] and PT [physical therapy] spaces for special needs students. The art and music rooms are located on the second and third floors of the building and are not assessable to handicap students,’’ the application notes.
The W. Edward Balmer School on Crescent Street, which houses students in grades 2-4, was built in 1967 and has had no major upgrades since its construction.
“The goal is to bring this building up to today’s standards or replace it,’’ the application states. “This project would include the expansion and upgrades to all of the core facility…
“In adding additional classroom space, the project would eliminate the use of locker rooms that we are now using as classrooms,’’ the application notes.
In addition, it would include an elevator making the second floor of the building accessible to all students.
Northbridge Middle School on Linwood Avenue houses students in Grades Five to Eight. It was built in 1905, additions were added in 1927, 1955 and 1986, and four modular classrooms added in 2000.
The application lists several issues with the school, but notes: “The only impacts that are a direct result of these issues are that we are not able to provide a comfortable space for the children to learn in.’’ The many additions created a “maze’’ which is very difficult for the students to navigate, the application notes.
The application also includes the Aldrich School on Hill Street, which housed students in the pre-K program. It is now used as a Town Hall annex. That building was built in 1890 and was closed because its continued use required many repairs and costly upgrades.
Spitulnik said Facilities Manager Paul Halacy will bring the request for the application’s support to the Board of Selectmen on March 11 and back to the School Committee on March 12.
The deadline to submit the application to the School Building Authority is mid-April.
Comments (37)
There goes the new DPW
"Mr Will"(Whatever this time.) claims that a "Democratic" process is a hard sell in Town.
Where in the previous related post did "UPSO" indicate any support for any particular project?
This fear about using the established Town "Democratic" process is evident.
Again: "Americans always do the right thing after they have tried everything else." - Winston Churchill
UPSO,
The Democratic process is still very much intact, and so is our Republic.
Just in these Economic Condition's the Taxpayer's have their Mr. Magoo Magnifying Glass's out, in my opinion if a project is not economically sound, viable, it will not pass muster!
Wouldn't it be best to have this project proceed to the Town on its own need, merit, to establish its priority so that it can be given the democratic process as the Town has established in its Charter?
The DODO bird is said: "Flies backward because it dose not care where it is going, but wants to know where it has been."
Before an "Army" proceeds its "Engineers" prepare a way. Their path has been made clear for them and the others that follow in their support. Not keeping that path clear in support of an advance is a strategic flaw unless it is a "Retreat".
Advance or Retreat? Where does the Town want to go? Is there a "Future" for the Town? Is there any moving ahead spirit?
Hey UPSO,
For the Town to move forward, your going to need money to put gas in the NorthbridgeImpala fuel tank.
We are so poor the Town had to shut off half it's Street Lights, and the people that live near look out Rock need a 4X4 'Big Foot, Moon Rover' to get to their houses.
Since the Taxpayers are Taxed out, it may be a hard sell??
MrWill,
The Town doesn't need any kind of vehicle if it isn't going anywhere not even if it were a Ford Pinto. It is moving so slow an uncontrolled tricycle hitting it from behind would cause it to explode.
Juggy,
Again you demonstrate just how confused you are between the definitions of poor and cheap.
Just A Guy,
Approx 'HALF' the Towns yearly annual complete Budget is supplemented by 'STATE AID', speaks volumes of the Towns financial condition. It may even enlighten your thought process on Poor Vs Cheap definitions. :)
Do you think the State would award us so much in yearly State Aid if the State felt we were just being cheap? 'Think About It'.
Juggy,
No matter how many times you change your screen name you still keep spewing the same manure over and over and over and........................
The amount that Northbridge gets is $17.59m with a population of 15.7k
Douglas is $9.9m with a population of 8.4k
Uxbridge is $10.82m with a pupulation of 13.4k
I don't here them whimpering like you for a chance to live off of the public teet.
Just A Guy,
Last time I saw Juggy, Juggy and a couple of the Ponderosa Boys were coming out of McDee's with some large Coffee's and some paperwork with 2010 dated on it. :)
Next Fiscal Year projections Nbridge will be closer to the $19 Million figure, if State Revenues hold up? Again even at $17.5 million dollars presently speaks volumes, of not cheapies, we are in valid dire need.
Douglas needs a Prop 2 1/2 Override Correct?, from what I hear they will take what ever State Aid they can attain.
Uxbridge has so many need's and their Departments are so potentially understaffed I am sure they would take the State Aid also. But they are one up on us they have a nice DPW Pre-Engineered Modular facility, their new Police Station was quite a long process.
I would have to do more research to see if any of the Town's received any Grants lately.
Juggy,
"MrWill:
Just A Guy,
Last time I saw Juggy, Juggy and a couple of the Ponderosa Boys were coming out of McDee's with some large Coffee's and some paperwork with 2010 dated on it. :)"
Again, "A house of mirrors..."
UPSO,
Catch you later heading down to McDee's for the Senior Citizens discount Cup of Coffee. :)
Let you know if their are any Grants for free Coffee for Seniors on Fixed Incomes.
Juggy,
I'm sure you'll be the one standing there with his hand out.
Did you ever live in Russia? You would have been a good fit for over there.....................just let the Gubbermint provide everything for you at "no cost". Sounds like it's just your style.
MrWill,
If anyone knows about grants you do.
How you can deliver the ones that count is another issue.
MrWill:
(I ?) (We ?) Who?
You have confused the Seniors On Fixed Incomes and the Working Poor enough. It is about time you stop throwing yourself (yourselves) on the floor, kicking and screaming because you have the "right to"?
UPSO,
I always support our Seniors on Fixed Incomes, and the Working Poor, in this Country! :)
Just a guy,
I want a new DPW built just as bad as you, but if this town can not come to agreement on the cost/need then it is time to move on to the next task at hand which is a new firestation and a replacement to Balmer School. We can't sit and mope and refuse to move forward because of the DPW.
Just my opinion.
whderv:
I think our best chance at a DPW is for our present BPCC, to examine the Fall 2010 return DPW Facility BID's that came into the Town Mangers Office for that total $2.1 Million Project at the Waste Water Treatment Plant Site, in my opinion. Then if they attain the Green Light from the Power Brokers rebid that specific project, and plan accordingly.
According to a Town Official at the last Town Meeting when they were discussing the Douglas Road Site. It would only have cost $30,000 dollars to take down all the out buildings at the present Fletcher Street Site, do a two coat Asphalt Pave over. Then they were going to keep the present brick building for "Cold Storage" Brrrr, then put down a nice new fields of green turf for passive recreation.
Momma always said "you don't get dessert till you finish your peas and meat".
The people of this town like Juggy (aka MrWill and at least 10 other names) need to come to grip with what kind of money it takes to build things in this day and age. Until they do what is the sense of moving on to other things?
The employees of the Highway Dept. deserve to be taken care of. They have been ingnored for waaaay to long. They have been forced to work in a place that 90% of the taxpayers in Town would refuse to step foot in let alone work in on a daily basis. The people of Northbridge find it way to easy to set aside the departments needs and concerns at budget time. Un fortunately it is even easier for them to criticize the people who work at the DPW when they wake up after getting 30'' of snow and their streets aren't black and shiny so that they cant get their DD coffee as usual.
'A Grand Bargain'?
Lets give our BPCC and the so called Town's Power Brokers something they can really dig their teeth into. Try to get an 80% reimbursement for the new Elementary School, build it on the Towns 21 acre's next to the High School. Then lets try to get all the 'cerebral engines' at 7 Main Street at high RPM's, and try to get a $5-$6 Million Dollar Federal Grant for a Combined DPW/Fire Station at the Balmer School site. :)
Juggy,
In reference to wanting grants.....................Enough with wanting to get other people to pay for what you and others are just too cheap to spring for. If folks are too cheap to part with .28 cents a day to improve the DPW they shouldn't be considered elegible for other handouts.
If anything moves forward with either a new fire station or new school yet things remain status quo at the DPW, the people in this town should be forced to walk around with brown bags over their heads.
Just A Guy,
If we do not take the available Grants other Town's will, like the Town of Ware!, correct?
Plus if we do not accept the Federal Money, the Federal Government is only going to give it to, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, etc, etc. :)
Plus do not the resident's of Northbridge pay Federal Taxes, we might as well get something for our Taxes?
Not that we are cheap the 99% have had 10 years of wage stagnation, in this Depression/Recession we are in.
Juggy,
If you put as much time and effort into working as you do into trying to defend your never ending desire to live on the dime of others you too could afford to part with the .28 cents a day it would take to build a new DPW.
Just a little correction - the amount was 28 cents per day, not .28 cents. (It would be .28 DOLLARS.)
Jethro,
I agree with one BOS when he suggested with mission creep, at the Fletcher Street site, it may be well over $8 Million Dollars? Not to mention the possible need for Sewage Ejectors, Sewage Pumping Station, and a high speed low drag back up Generator for the Sewage Pumping Station.
Plus may we fall for the Gilligan factor, if we did not discuss the Fletcher Street proposal with DEP, or the EPA?(Flood Plain)? Plus what if the Sewage Pumping Station ever failed so close to the Mumford River and the Flood Plains?
Just A Guy,
Was it Ben Franklin that said a Penny saved is a Penny earned? :)
Would prefer my Federal dime spent in my Town instead of Foreign Countries, that will hate us next year. :)
Juggy,
That's your problem in a nutshell. You would rather pay more Federal taxes so that you can get it to trickle back locally. Why not just pay for our local projects locally instead of giving the Feds $32 million so we can get a $2 million dollar grant? All you method does is help to feed and grow the Fedreal buerocracy.
Pony up the .28 cents a day.
Just A Guy,
The day the Federal Government give's me that option I will, until then I prefer my Federal tax money being spent in this Nation, or my local Town. :)
I prefer spending local money when all the other financial options may be exhausted. When a BOS asked at a recent BOS meeting did you check to see if their was any State or Federal Grants for a project, as a Taxpayer that is what I like to hear!
MrWill,
"The day the Federal Government give's me that option I will, until then I prefer my Federal tax money being spent in this Nation, or my local Town. :)"
Tell that to your representatives not to "just a guy".
FYI these "statements of interest" are submitted annually just to remain on the Mass School Building Authorities "list" of potential projects.
http://www.massschoolbuildings.org/building/prerequisites/FY_2013_SOI
Up to HALF A MILLION BUCKS for a "feasibility study?" Get real! The cost of all these "studies" is totally wacko.
I agree the cost is high but the cost is set by the state and you have to "pay to play". If we don't want to spend the money for the study as required then we will not go any further in the process of getting state aid to build/retrofit some much needed buildings.
If anything happens to have work proceed on a project like this prior to a new DPW facility it would be a criminal act in my opinion.