Waiting game for BMR on funding
BLACKSTONE — The Blackstone-Millville Regional School District Committee has submitted three statements of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for funding a proposed major renovation project. Now, it's just a waiting game.
Schools Superintendent Allen W. Himmelberger told the Blackstone-Millville Regional School Committee Wednesday that submitting the statements is the first step toward potential MSBA funding for the project to upgrade and modernize the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School and John F. Kennedy/ Augustine F. Maloney school complex in Blackstone and the Millville Elementary School in Millville.
The MSBA, a quasi-independent government authority in Boston, provides critical funding, obtained through a competitive application process, to school districts for capital improvement projects.
The district is seeking MSBA funding for the John F. Kennedy/Augustine F. Maloney school complex under the MSBA’s accelerated repair program, which is primarily for the repair or replacement of roofs, windows, doors and boilers in facilities that are otherwise structurally sound. The deadline for the statement of interest for that was Feb. 17.
“The MSBA could approve none, one or all three,” Himmelberger said. “The MSBA has received (statements of interest) for a total of 73 projects, of which, three are ours.”
If the MSBA accepts the project, the district could be reimbursed up to about 40 percent of the repair, said Himmelberge, adding that a MSBA team came to town a couple of weeks ago to tour the elementary schools.
As for the high school project, the district is seeking funds under the MSBA’s core program, which is primarily for extensive repairs, renovations and additions to existing facilities and for the construction of new schools. A MSBA team visit is scheduled to take place in May.
Submitting a statement of interest is the critical first step in the MSBA’s school construction grant program, which would reimburse the town a percentage of the cost. The initial statements of interest allow a district to inform the MSBA about deficiencies that may exist in a school facility and how those deficiencies inhibit achievement of the district’s educational program.
“The next step is to be invited into a shorter list of projects for consideration then to wait for the awards of the projects,” Himmelberger said. “Part of that is dependent on the competition but I believe our buildings stand on their own merit of need.”
If the BMR projects are moved forward for MSBA funding, he said, then the projects would go before voters in Blackstone and Millville in the spring of 2018. If approved by the member towns, work would commence in the summer of 2018 and would be bonded in 2020-2021.
A facilities study drafted by the New England School Development Council has identified major deficiencies at the 46-year-old Blackstone-Millville Regional High School and the 51-yearold John F. Kennedy/Augustine F. Maloney school complex, including old and inefficient HVAC and electrical systems and the need new for energy efficient windows, doors and lighting.
Simply put, the schools are outdated and have poorly operating building systems.
When Himmelberger discussed the conditions of the two schools earlier this year, he said the buildings still have much of the same equipment and infrastructure.
Himmelberger said in earlier statements that if the project were to cost $20 million, then $12 million of that would be picked up by the MSBA leaving $8 million for the towns to finance.
The Blackstone-Millville Regional School District was established in 1967 and includes one elementary school in Millville (Millville Elementary School, pre-school-Grade 5); two elementary schools in Blackstone (John F. Kennedy, kindergarten-Grade 3 and Augustine F. Maloney, Grades 4-5); and a middle school and high school in Blackstone (Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School and Blackstone-Millville Regional High School).
The district serves 1,882 students, has a 135-member teaching staff and is overseen by an elected eight-member School Committee, with four members from each town.
A few years ago, the district replaced the roofs of the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School, the John F. Kennedy Elementary School/Augustine F. Maloney Elementary School and Millville Elementary School. Those projects were part of the MSBA’s accelerated repair program in which the government agency reimburses the town a percentage of the cost.