Building committee updated on possible money for Briggs
By Karen Mann JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

Although the John R. Briggs School Building Committee plans on asking voters to fund $400,000 for a feasibility study through a Proposition 2 ½ override, Ashburnham Westminster Regional School Committee Chairman David Christianson informed committee members an override might not be necessary.

Christianson, one of the co-chairmen of the building committee, said he was informed by town officials that some of the money might be available in Ashburnham's budget.

The building committee must still ask voters to appropriate the $400,000 through a warrant at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, May 3.

The money being requested by the building committee would cover the costs of a study to rebuild or renovate J.R. Briggs Elementary School. The feasibility study is the next step in the process the building committee must go through to receive approval for the project by the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

After a two-year moratorium, the MSBA announced it would start reimbursing school renovation projects again last summer. Committees from school districts started submitted requests at that time for potential projects, hoping the MSBA would approve and commit to funding some of the project.

In December, Briggs was chosen as one of 49 schools to move forward with process, making it one step closer to receiving approval on the project.

"I feel excited to be part of the small group selected," said Superintendent of Schools Michael Zapantis, the other nonvoting chairman of the building committee.

After months of inactivity while waiting to hear from the MSBA, Zapantis met with fellow building committee members to discuss the feasibility study and what must be done to get voters to approve the money.

According to Zapantis, the feasibility study that now must be completed is unlike the feasibility study town officials are used to.

"The MSBA is looking for an extensive study," Zapantis said. "It is not a blueprint, but it will be a very detailed schematic design."

The MSBA will reimburse the town for 53.53 percent of the cost after the study is complete. Although the full $400,000 must be available for the study from the town, Christianson said the town would be responsible for only $180,000 of the cost in the end.

Zapantis added that the 53 percent reimbursement rate could be adjusted by the MSBA at construction time.

Each school project is given points, which affect the reimbursement rate.

"The idea is to get points added to the 53 percent," Zapantis said.

He asked the committee to focus on two key areas that could help increase points: going green and community use.

Two subcommittees have been formed, one to investigate whether the school could work with Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to build a green school, in which energy efficiency is focused on while designing the school. The other committee will study community use, where an entity such as Cushing Academy, a co-ed boarding high school in the center of town, would donate to the project, and then be involved with the school after.

"The more innovative we can be in getting community partners involved, we will earn more points," Zapantis said.

While the subcommittees were discussed, Zapantis said it was also time to form the permanent building committee. MSBA requires certain community members with certain skills comprise the committee. All of the committee members present expressed interest in continuing on with their role on the committee.