Selectmen Eye State Funds for Bridge, Bowman, LHS Repairs

The Board of Selectmen Monday night voted to submit statements of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for renovation projects at Bridge and Bowman elementary schools and Lexington High School, under the authority's Green Repair Program.

The program provides grants to for repairs and replacement of roofs, windows and boilers in schools that are structurally and functionally sound otherwise, and will be providing about $300 million in funds to school districts.

Lexington could be eligible to receive $4.8 million through the program, to apply to its estimated project costs of $14.4 million for roof, window and boiler repairs needed at Bridge, Bowman and LHS.

"The program aligns well with the projects we have currently in the master plan, and town has authorized design on Bridge and Bowman," said Director of Public Facilities Pat Goddard. "This would allow us to recoup some of those expenses if invited to participate through the SOI (statement of interest) process."

Estimated costs for those renovations are $6.1 million at LHS ($1.5 million windows, $1.5 million roof, $3.1 million boiler/HVAC), $5.8 million at Bridge ($755,201 windows, $1.6 million boiler) and $7.3 million at Bowman ($2.8 million windows, $2.7 million roof, $6.3 million boiler).

Goddard said the MSBA will likely fund 40 percent of projects selected through the Green Repair Program, however because repairs are needed to the boiler and HVAC system at the high school, the boiler costs may be the only ones funded through the program.

Selectman Peter Kelly asked whether submitting statements of interest for the projects would impact other statements of interest the town has submitted to the MSBA for other renovation projects. Last fall the town submitted an SOI to the MSBA for renovations at LHS, and has yet to hear whether funding will be provided.

Goddard said he had confirmation from the MSBA that seeking funds through the Green Repair Program would not be a factor in other funding decisions made by the MSBA.

However Kelly said he did not want to ask for funding for renovations at the two elementary schools which he feels should be replaced. 

"I would not like to see us endorse any reworking or renovations at Bridge or Bowman," Kelly said. "I'm absolutely convinced we owe it to the community to replace those buildings."

Member Deb Mauger noted the town is not obligated to make the repairs if it is chosen for funding through the green program. 

Member Norm Cohen said it could be years before new elementary schools can be built to replace Bridge and Bowman, and in the meantime boilers and the other repair work will be necessary.

"We should at least be on the list to take advantage of what state money we can," he said.

Ultimately the board voted in favor of submitting the statements of interest to the MSBA, voting 4-1 for Bridge, 4-1 for Bowman and 5-0 for LHS, with Kelly the opposing vote for Bridge and Bowman.

Also at last night's meeting, Rob Addelson, assistant town manager for finance, presented the water and sewer budgets that will serve as a basis for calculating the fiscal 2011 water and sewer rates.

Last night's meeting was the first in a three-step process toward approving the water and sewer rates. At the Oct. 4 selectmen's meeting, Addelson will present the recommended rates, and at the Oct. 25 meeting selectmen will take public comment on the proposed rates before voting on them.

Addelson said there are several anomalies in the fiscal 2010 water and sewer usage numbers, which officials are looking into to determine why there were increases or decreases. Once those questions are answered, usage assumptions will more accurately be calculated, he said.

John Bartenstein, a member of the Appropriations Committee and a Town Meeting member, requested that the board hold the public hearing on the rates during the Oct. 4 meeting, so members can have time to reflect on resident comments before voting.

"It's not adequate time to give consideration to comments people give," he said. "I hope you give some thought to adjusting that process.

Town Manager Carl Valente said it would be a timing issue this year to hold the public hearing Oct. 4, however the proposed rates will be out in advance of the public hearing.

"In the future, it's something we can look into," Valente said. "I think it makes a lot of sense, whether we can pull it off this year on short notice – that would be difficult."

The Board of Selectmen last night also approved reappointments of members to town committees, and established a Selectmen's Gift Fund for Willard's Woods, to fund maintenance and restoration at the conservation area.

"I thought it would be a good idea to establish a Willard's Woods gift fun," said Mauger. "To see if we can raise some funds to make Willard's Woods an even better place for al the people who live it."