Belmont Approves Limited Minuteman Study

Belmont this week has eased ever so slightly its opposition to funding a $725.000 feasibility study of the building housing the agreeing to divvy up with 15 partner towns $100,000 to conduct an enrollment study of the school.

Belmont's decision to fund the enrollment and two other studies came after the Lexington-based technical high school agreed to a series of conditions presented by the Arlington Finance Committee in mid-June.

In late May, the Arlington's FinComm had gone to its Town Meeting ready to advise residents to take no position on a resolution to support the feasibility study.

But following a discussion with Belmont officials and meeting with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which finances school rebuilding projects, the Arlington FinComm advises Town Meeting member to fund only the enrollment and other studies.

Jones said after discussing Arlington's action, "it was determined that we would follow their neighbor's lead and agree to the feasibility study."

Belmont Town Meeting Members voted April 29 against the Minuteman study, 146-101, with opponents saying the town shouldn't commit to the study until a formal look at enrollment has been conducted.

Up until this week, Belmont was the only town that did not agree to allocate money on the study.

Belmont share of the feasibility study would have been $39,000 over five years.

"This is in the best interest for the town to move forward after what Arlington accomplished," said Jones, adding that he never felt pressured from other towns to reserve the Town Meeting vote.

While the town's acceptance to pay for these reports apparently supersedes Town Meeting's will, Jones said the agreement before them today "is a new resolution, not the one Town Meeting voted on."

Jones said the agreement would need to be approved by the town's Minuteman task force "but I don't see any problems with it," said Swanson.

Under the agreement, Minuteman is currently conducting an enrollment study to determine if the school will see an increase or decrease in students in the next few years, as well as reviewing its strategic plan including the structure of its curriculum and the programs offered.

Those reports will determine Minuteman's future student requirements and the type of building to meet those demands, said Edward Bouquillon, Minuteman's Superintendent-Director.

Minuteman will also undertake a comprehensive review of the regional agreement between Minuteman and the 16 towns currently supporting the school through tax assessments.

Once the three studies are completed and those results released, Minuteman will return to the member towns during the fiscal year 2013 Town Meeting schedule – which is in early April in Belmont – requesting funding for a "more traditional" feasibility study.

"We will take these three pieces of work and initiate discussion on our long-term needs," said Bouquillon.