Intersection of Route 94 and the Fern Road, looking west on 94At last Wednesday’s Board Meeting, the Superintendent gave a report on a recent meeting at the State Department of Education with Scott Brown and the building project team. Described as a “fantastic” meeting, it is part of the process of moving toward a
final site application.
Planning Decisions has updated enrollment projections, now forecasting a 30-35 student rise over the next 10 years. [Planning Decisions is the state’s preferred vendor for these required enrollment projections.]
The outstanding issue has to do with the water system and whether it should be “looped” or not. Bill Hoffman, the engineer, is doing more work on this. “We believe in a looped system, they [Scott Brown et al.] think otherwise. “
There’s been informal approval of the 3-phase power, the intersection (of Route 94 and the Fern Road), and the entrance [to the site from the Fern Road?]. “How the site is being utilized passed muster.”
Tentative plans are for SAD 46 to be on the August 9 State Board of Education agenda for site approval, after a “straw vote” in the District.
The Facilities Committee is meeting next Tuesday (today) with the architect and engineer (6 pm, Superintendent’s Office). At this meeting, the committee will establish a number of committees [???].
Another meeting with the DOE is planned for early July.
3 Comments:
How can this site location not increase maintenance costs and transportation costs? Also why is the town looking to purchase land when it has land that is suitable for a new school. Whats wrong with the land that the town owns that abuts the golf course, where elms field is located. Why purchase land if you already own land that isn't being used? Lets go buy more taxable land and make it none taxable?
I like the location. If this is going to primarily service Garland, Exeter, and Dexter, then the location makes a lot of sense. It will relieve bus traffic through town, too.
Bottom line is we need a new school...we should have done this 15 years ago when we had the best possible deal.
I don't disagree with the need for a new school. I support the construction of a new school. I just have to question the location. As far as keeping buses out of town well they still have to go to the high school. In addition I believe you will find most of the opposition for the site location is from the neighboring residents it will affect. I'm sure someone on the other side of town that won't have to look at the new school or listen to the added noise that normally goes with a school. I have nothing against children playing but I'm sure the neighboring residents reside where they do because its a quiet peaceful neighborhood. I also understand that the school district is seperate from the town. My point was that we are taking land that is now taxable and making it non taxable. How much property tax does a school district pay? None last I knew. So if this new school is going to service mainly garland exeter and dexter, why not put the school in garland? seems more centrally located and there's plenty of remote land in garland where the added school wouldn't have any affect on neighboring residents. In addition who pays to pave the fern road. I'm sure that the state must require a paved road. It would take a lot of gravel and ground work to bring the fern road up to a "state spec road". Also I thought the 3 phase power was on rte 94, as well as the water and septic. How do they propose to access the new site from rte 94. seems to me they would need to run all this up the fern road. Now theres got to be 3 phase power fairly close to the elm street site. Since the old Dexter shoe building is not that far away. Also where does the current septic and water come and go at the existing school site? If you haven't figured out I am one of the neighboring residence that this new site would affect. I'm not saying all students are trouble. But I was a middle school student once. And I know there are a few that I wouldn't want that close to my back yard. Also if they run new septic and water will the residents be forced to hook up? Most of the present residents have private wells and septics which they have spent a good chuck of change on to meet state specs, etc. Again I agree with the new school I just question the location. Its easy to like the site if its not in your backyard. And had no affect on your daily life.
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