MINUTES DRAFT

SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

  Joint meeting with the Mansfield Board of Education and the

Mansfield School Building Committee

November 17, 2008

 

Mayor Elizabeth Paterson called the special meeting of the Mansfield Town Council to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria of the Mansfield Middle School.  This special meeting is a joint meeting with the Mansfield Board of Education and the Mansfield School Building Committee.

 

 

I.                     WORK SESSION

 

1.      Discussion of the Four Schools Renovation Project

 

Rick Lawrence of The Lawrence Associates recapped the process of evaluating the current elementary school situation and outlined the four options that came out of that process. (Options attached)  Mr. Lawrence reminded members that the cost estimates are valid until June 30, 2009 and must be locally approved prior to submission of the project to the state. 

 

Mayor Paterson, Co-Chair of the Building Committee, asked the assembled members for guidance as to which options they consider viable and which should be ruled out.

 

Members discussed the pros and cons of the options and asked the Building Committee to investigate a number of issues regarding Option D, the building of a new elementary school.  These issues include:

·        Location possibilities including water and sewer requirements,

·        The value and possible marketing options for the existing schools,

·        Design options based on educational objectives,

·        Length of subsequent bus rides,

·        Savings as a result of a reduction of ancillary cost including heat, maintenance, cafeteria, playing fields, etc.,

·        Cost to demolish and or maintain empty school buildings,

·        Realistic staffing projections,

·        Feedback from Town residents,

·        Level of LEED standard for new building,

·        Options within Option D for cost savings,

·        Potential cost overrun,

·        Updated student enrolment figures,

·        Discussion on educational value of neighborhood school vs. centralized school,

·        Conversion possibilities, including municipal uses, for existing schools.

 

School Building Committee members will meet in December and address these issues after which they will again meet with the Town Council and the Mansfield Board of Education.

 

The Directors of Finance and Maintenance will compile a list by year of projected expenses for the existing schools spanning the next five years.

 

Mary Feathers, Chair of the Board of Education and Co-Chair of the Building Committee, thanked all participants for their input commenting that this is an opportunity to rethink education in Mansfield.

 

II.                   ADJOURNMENT

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

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Elizabeth Paterson, Mayor                     Mary Stanton, Town Clerk.