The Community School District board of trustees unanimously voted Jan. 22 to organize a public referendum for a revised $29,975,000 project to renovate the Boothbay region middle-elementary school. The board expects to sign warrants Feb. 6 for a referendum during the week of April 22. The move comes less than three months after voters rejected a similar renovation project in November.

At the meeting, trustees discussed balancing their fiscal responsibility to taxpayers with the need to repair significant problems in the building, which opened in 1977. Ultimately, they decided to bring an updated plan to voters that includes both cuts from the earlier proposal and renovations that go beyond strictly necessary repairs.

“It is obviously fiscally responsible to not get a new building or a partial new building,” said Trustee Darrell Gudroe. “To put those bandaids on a failing building isn't fiscally responsible.”

For many, the new project will look similar to what was presented in November. It includes a middle school addition, an administrative addition, and several renovations to improve building health and student safety.

However, since last year’s referendum, the board cut around $3.7 million of estimated work. This includes around $2.2 million in site work and about $1 million for locker room renovations. Project architect Lance Whitehead said items like these were cut because they don’t directly impact education.

Despite the cuts, voters will ultimately be deciding on a more expensive project than the $28.8 million one they rejected. According to Whitehead, this is partly because of around 7% annual escalation costs, estimated at over $2 million. In addition, trustees added almost $1 million worth of repairs that were planned to be done separately from the November project. However, some of the items would result in savings if done with the project, according to Whitehead. For example, he said replacing a dry sprinkler system could cost around $175,000 if done alongside the renovations but $350,000 if done separately.

The board estimated costs to complete piecemeal repairs and, overall, Whitehead said the approach would be around $16 million. In addition, Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said the approach would significantly disrupt education. At the board’s request, he estimated the portable classrooms needed to facilitate separate repairs would also cost over $1 million. “I’m hoping we never go this route. I’m hoping this money goes to something we keep and own,” said Gudroe. 

Several board members also expressed concern about a piecemeal repair-only solution. They discussed difficulty finding and scheduling contractors, increased cost of delay and limited long-term benefits on education.

“To me, as a citizen, you're spending three-quarters of the money, you're getting more disruption and, at the end of the day, you don't get educational value out of it,” Whitehead said. “The new project is creating a new space. Everything we tried to do had an educational impact ... The repairs are not doing any of that. The repairs are just (to) fix what we had and what we restore it to when it was built...”

The trustees said the decision is up to the voters. According to some, the previous vote failed partly due to confusion and misunderstandings around the significance of the building’s problems. During the meeting, they discussed getting information to residents, including hosting weekly events and getting out into the community at populated locations such as the grocery store.

However, they agreed they had done what they could for the project now and waiting longer would incur more costs. Ultimately, whether around repairs or renovations, board members said there will be tough choices for voters ahead.

“Everybody's taxes are going to go up or they are going to have to give up their schools,” said longtime trustee Steve Lorrain. “Those are the choices.”