NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — School Building Committee members are hoping their next meeting will move the Greylock School project forward. 

 

"Right now, we're kind of in the holding pattern for the MSBA," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "They're waiting for the results of our vote."

 

Tuesday's meeting had to be one of the shortest for the committee — approval of some invoices and minutes, and a reminder of the consequential vote on Oct. 8. 

 

That's when voters will be asked to authorize the $65 million school project that would see the construction of a new Greylock School, the demolition of the old school and the closure of Brayton Elementary. 

 

The deadline to register to vote is Sept. 28, the same day early voting starts. The polls will be open on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center. 

 

School officials say the 30-year-old Brayton is no longer conducive to a modern education program and the many updates it will need cost millions to repair or refit. The old Greylock has already closed because of fears its outdated heating system wouldn't make it through the winter. 

 

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has approved plans for new building, which will hold kindergarten through Grade 2 as well as nearly 100 prekindergarten students. 

 

The MSBA is picking up $42 million of the cost and the federal government more than $3 million for a contemporary geothermal system. The city will be on the hook for about $20 million, which is expected to cost the average taxpayer $270 in property taxes at the highest year. 

 

Voters will be deciding on a debt exclusion, a mechanism to remove the borrowing from the limitations of Proposition 2 ½. 

 

Opponents have raised concerns about the costs to taxpayers over the life of the bond and whether a new school is needed with projections showing decline in student enrollment in future years. There have been two forums on the issues, with some calling for repairs to be made to Brayton to keep it functioning. 

 

These repairs, the mayor cautioned, would not be reimbursed by the MSBA and would have to come out of operating budget. Rough estimates put replacing the outdated heating and ventilation system at $11 million. Opponents have called this fear tactic, feeling that this changes can be done in a less costly manner or through grants or the MSBA's accelerated repair program, though the MSBA has not seemed inclined to put money into buildings it's determined are unsuitable.

 

So far, the project has been under budget with the feasibility study costing $943,000 of the $1.1 million allocated. 

 

Timothy Alix of owner's project manager Colliers International, said the biggest milestone will be the vote. 

 

"Once we get through that and get approval to move forward, we'll be meeting with the MSBA to enter into a project funding agreement, and then get their approval to enter into the next phase, which is the detailed design," he said. "So at the next meeting, we'll have a schedule that would bring us through detailed design, the construction document phases that Jesse [Saylor] and his team will be working to finalize documents, to get them ready for bidding, and then the construction phase, and followed by closeout."

 

Macksey said she'd expected the schedule so for to have been adjusted several times but the project had stayed on track. She thanked the consultants and the professional and leadership teams for doing "a great job." 

 

Saylor, of TSKP Studios, the project designer, said the consultant team has been asking for proposals for the geothermal well. 

 

"We need to drill a test well for geotechnical services, looking ahead, anticipating that the project may move forward, and we'll have those proposals ready for you," he said. 

 

All of this will depend on a positive vote on Oct. 8. 

 

"Please be sure to vote. I'd like to say 100 other things that I can't but you can read it by the smile on my face," said the mayor. "We will have a school building meeting on Oct. 15 at 4:30, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.

 

"Again, hopefully we'll be working toward our project, our construction project timeline, and things like that."