The Discussion Begins: Citizens Ask Questions

It's been eighteen months since the last public meeting to discuss the proposed school project.

About fifty citizens attended an informational session last evening at the Garland Elementary School. They asked a number of good questions, got some answers, and probably thought of additional questions afterwards. The meeting was worth attending. Consider attending the remaining sessions to find out more about this project. We'll relate some of the questions that were asked in another post.

What questions still need to be asked? At the meeting, it was represented that the only local costs of this project -- at present -- are the additional land costs, $142,750, beyond what the State will pay. Are there other "costs" associated with this project that we haven't yet recognized?

For example, what will happen to the upper "unimproved" portion (~9/10 mile) of the Fern Road? Will it need to be upgraded? If so, whose obligation is it to pay for these upgrades?

There remain unasked (as yet) questions about transportation. The Superintendent referred to a study that suggests that the use of the proposed location will result in mileage essentially identical to what it is now.* Compared to the current bus schedule, how much time will the Garland and Exeter students spend on the buses before and after school? How will increased stops in in-town Dexter be handled? In 1991, it was stated that if a new middle school were built on Hod McKenny's land, 99% of students attending it would be bussed. Can you visualize following buses as they make multiple stops down Main Street, Spring Street, Lincoln Street, and so forth?

Another question, yet unasked, concerns the ultimate disposition of the buildings -- Garland, Exeter, Dexter Middle and Primary Schools, the Superintendent's Office, the Ripley School -- that would no longer be needed by the District. If the present Dexter Middle School needs to be demolished, whose obligation is that?

At the meeting there was a "Conceptual Site Plan" poster exhibited -- sometimes referred to as the bubble plan -- that showed the likely position of the school on the site, approach roads, parking lots, and a rough representation of the building footprint. I'll try to get a photo of this and put it up here later in the week.

As well, there was a poster showing the site work required -- probably too complex to represent adequately here through a photo. However, it appeared as though no single surface on the portion of the site being used would be untouched by the bulldozer.

There are other questions that need to be asked, about staffing, about playing fields, about possibilities for future development of the proposed site (additional playing fields, performing arts center, other community uses), and more. Others will occur to you as you participate in the discussion.

See you tomorrow (Thursday) night, Dexter Middle School, 7 pm!

* The study, carried out by the Director of Transportation, pointed to 8 miles less per day mileage, or, by my calculations, approximately 1600 miles less per year for a fleet that travels over 200,000 miles per year.