The Community School District (CSD) Board of Trustees met with site designers for the Boothbay Region Elementary (BRES) renovation project June 13 to move planning forward. Sebago Technics engineers discussed early steps with the board as the district outlines plans for site preparation and permitting.  

According to project architect Lance Whitehead, the purpose of the meeting was to give the board enough information to approve utilities planning and other site work. He said the goal is to start construction next summer. Kylie Mason from Sebago Technics presented a draft site plan she said balanced the least impact with the most benefits. The engineers and board discussed parking, utilities, access to the fields on campus, and access for service vehicles. 

The board asked the site designers to provide two concepts for the maintenance building by June 26 and one concept for the upper parking lot and playground move by June 24. 

In public comment, Tom Perkins of Boothbay Harbor urged the board to continue to review all possible options, and he suggested a public forum.

In other business, trustees nominated several members for a new committee on the project. Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said the committee is not finalized but will include him, members of the board of trustees and school board, school district building administrators, and outside professionals such as Whitehead. Trustees nominated Matt Doucette and Sewall Maddocks to the committee with Ronnie Campbell and Troy Lewis as alternates. 

The board also discussed the project with Whitehead at their June 4 meeting. Whitehead reviewed next steps, including assembling the committee, hiring a clerk of the works to oversee the project, and optional consultants for security and energy use. In addition, trustees held an executive session which, according to Kahler, included discussion on security at both schools. Kahler said the board reviewed $400,000 plans for the security entrance at the high school during the session.  

In other business June 4, the board discussed ongoing repairs to the high school roof and elementary school parapets. According to the board, the flat roof is failing and its top coat will need to be resealed. Trustees discussed a warranty repair on the work from Coastal Copper that covers labor, but would require the school to buy over $10,000 in materials. The board also discussed potential companies to repair leaking parapets at the elementary school. The only set estimate, to repair six of them, was $129,300 from Tecta America.