Brookline Town Meeting Vote On Newbury College: Unanimous

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline is planning to make a bid on the property on Fisher Hill known as Newbury College. Some 240 elected officials voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution asking the town to continue to work toward acquiring the 7.8 acres.

During the roughly one hour special Town Meeting, the town's elected legislative arm reiterated they thought it was in Brookline's best interest to pursue the purchase of the campus and that the town should consider using eminent domain as it pushed forward on making a bid on the property that just hit the market for $40 million.

It's not clear just yet what the town will use the Newbury College campus for, although Select Board officials said it would need a lot of work before it could be used for an elementary school.

Town Meeting Member Regina Frawley of Precinct 16, who is credited with getting the public conversation on this rolling, said it was imperative the town pursue Newbury, especially in light of population growth.

"The potential for Newbury to contribute to problem solving is great," said Town Meeting Member John VanScoyoc.

Although everyone who spoke was in favor of Brookline pushing to pursue Newbury College's campus, at least one urged caution.

"I don't want this to be taken as an open checkbook," said Mark Levy, Town Meeting Member of Precinct 7. He added: "There's always trade-offs in any decision. If we buy Newbury, we're taking the land out of possible use as taxable property. That's one consideration."

For years, Brookline has been searching and narrowing options to find a ninth elementary school and has discussed the possible need for a tenth to address space needs in the district. Although the Town voted to support the ninth elementary school at the Baldwin site and that plan moved ahead to fund a schematic design there at the last Special Town Meeting in December, it has been contentious.

When Newbury College announced it would close the day after Town Meeting met, even before the college officials were talking about what to do with the land and buildings, residents in Brookline were asking Town Select Board members and each other about the possibility of purchasing the property for a new elementary school.

The Town Meeting also voted to approve funding that would go toward a contract agreement the town has reached with the police union.

According to some Town Meeting members who were sitting near the back of the auditorium, several developers were in the audience watching the vote.

RELATED:

• Brookline To Consider Buying Newbury College Property
• Brookline Eyes Newbury Land After College Closure
• Brookline's Newbury College To Close, Cites Financial Issues
• Brookline Town Meeting Tuesday, What's On Tap? Newbury College

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).