At the Oct. 16 Town Council meeting, Town Manager Michael Borg provided an update on the town’s ongoing high school building project.
The School Committee recently voted to approve a preliminary design for a new high school, which will be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for consideration.
“The School Building Committee was given two tasks: an educational plan and also a facility that would be fit to execute that educational plan,” Borg explained, highlighting the committee’s balanced approach.
The committee considered five different options for the school, with proposals ranging from simple code updates to an entirely new building.
Borg commended the process, stating, “Having worked with a number of decision matrices in my past…this one was actually really well done.”
Borg highlighted that the committee’s careful discussions, aided by presentations from consultants Dorian, Whittier & Vertex, helped clearly outline each option’s criteria. A key factor in determining the final choice was the MSBA’s reimbursement potential, with Borg estimating that 35-50% of the building project costs might be reimbursed.
The impact on taxes was also a concern, with Town Councilor Daniel Donovan pressing for ways to minimize the financial burden on residents.
Town Council President Justin Pare echoed these concerns, stating, “We don’t want it to be overly burdensome to businesses or residents.”
He also mentioned the council should and will do everything in their power to keep costs minimal to taxpayers. Pare assured the council that efforts would be made to control costs before the issue is put to voters.
North Attleborough residents will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed plan in June of next year. Before the June vote, a community conversation will be held in early November to provide further information and gather input.
With the design heading to the MSBA and a community conversation set for November, the future of North Attleborough’s high school is now in the hands of both the state and the residents. The upcoming months will be critical in shaping the town project.
