Full house at MSBA

Full house at the MSBA meeting! Updating as we go...
The districts for which there is a vote to eligilibity today are:

• Attleboro:Attleboro high school
• Brisol County Ag
• Cape Cod Regional Vo-Tech
• Clarksburg: elementary school
• Fall River: BMC Durfee High
• Lynn: Pickering Middle
• Middleborough: high school
• Saugus: high school
• Taunton: James L. Mulcahey Elementary
• Waltham: high school
• Westport: middle school
• Worcester: South High

For those wondering what that means, that puts these schools at the beginning of the process here. 

Bourne is being invited to feasibility for Peebles Elementary.

Grossman opens the meeting by introducing Deb Goldberg, his successor as Treasurer who will be sworn in next week. High praise for MSBA at this, his last meeting.

McCarthy's director report: visits, audits, invites to 2014 SOIs, 2015 SOIs now open (get your SOIs in!)
Berkshire Regional and Swampscott both being removed today, as they could not get community support for funding for renovation/rebuilding of their schools.
Nashoba Regional being removed for an accelerated repair. 

ON TO ELIGIBILITY!
In addition to the above, there will be three more districts considered for major renovation/ rebuild in March.

Bristol County Ag has 25 buildings on their campus (That is going to be an interesting building committee!)
Clarksburg (Did you have to look up where that is?) is here for its only community building. The superintendent is here, commenting that it was 13 below when he left home this morning, and he hopes the boiler holds up!
The brand new mayor of Fall River, Sam Sutter, is here to support a new Durfee High School, which originally was an applicant for accelerated repairs. MSBA said no, encouraged the city to apply for a new school or major renovation instead.
Grossman comments that these projects wouldn't happen "were it not for the constant advocacy of elected officials"
Pickering Middle School built in 1917 in Lynn. Per their website, it cost $236,000 to build and $58,000 to furnish at that time. Also, Superintendent Cathy Latham said that she'd be here "with bells on" when they took Pickering, and she brought bells!
One of the reps speaking on Saugus High says that the speeches are like the Academy awards. Current principal of Saugus High is a graduate.
Waltham High School being represented by their mayor, who was in the second class to graduate from the school.
Westport Middle School's state rep says that they need to figure out how to "solve the problem that exists in the town of Westport" The superintendent says that the middle school will close in June, due to PCBs. The building is 45 years old.
Mayor Petty speaks of the legacy that Treasurer Grossman is leaving--Worcester has 12 buildings that have accelerated repairs, and one that is on its way to a rebuild--and mentions that South has its electrical system under the pool.
Urge by a board member that educators put in place a clear education plan such that the building supports the education plan of the building.

Note that the Board takes a SINGLE vote for all 12 projects.
ALL APPROVED!
more updates to come!

invitation to scope and budget:
Renovation and repair at Sarah Gibbons Middle in Westboro: approved! Community votes on the bond on March 14

Rebuild at Nelson Place in Worcester
conditional on city securing land within 120 days
fall of 2017 open to students
$58.2 million in total; $33.7 million grant from state
APPROVED!

revenue up $16.3M greater than through same period (December) last year
up 4.5%:  $375,497,000 for FY15