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| By Courtney Llewellyn Reminder Assistant Editor LONGMEADOW The School Building Committee hosted the last of their public forums before the Special Town Meeting and the general election on the new high school project last Wednesday. Nearly 50 residents came out to learn more about the project and ask questions. Roland Joyal, a member of the School Building Committee (SBC) and principal of the newly-rebuilt Chicopee High School, gave an overview of the project before the floor was opened for questions. The next steps in the process of either renovating the existing building or building a new one are securing funding, then hiring an Owner's Project Manager, hiring an architect/designer, beginning the feasibility study, determining whether to renovate or rebuild and then beginning the implementation of the solution. The feasibility study, which is estimated to cost up to $750,000, would take approximately 18 to 24 months to conduct. One resident wanted to know where the town would find money for both the feasibility study and the building costs when the only revenue base in town is from real estate. Paul Pasterczyk, Longmeadow's Finance Director, said there is only one solution to that problem -- officials would have to ask residents for debt exclusion. The topic also came up of where a new high school could be built. "We've been thinking about this," SBC co-chair Robert Barkett said. He listed Russell Field, the field near Wolf Swamp and Turner Park as options. "The feasibility study will determine the best site location," SBC co-chair Christine Swanson said. As the discussion of renovation versus rebuilding continued, one resident asked about the "do nothing" option. "What would that cost?" he asked. Barkett listed the various repairs the school needed, which would "Band-Aid the town into debt." "The 'do nothing' alternative is not at no cost," resident Curt Freedman stated. After the two-hour forum ended, Joyal asked everyone to attend both the Special Town Meeting on Oct. 28 and the election on Nov. 4 so the project can move forward. "We would like to get your permission to move forward," he said. |