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Special Town Meeting
January 10, 2012
Warrant Article Pros and Cons
By The Southwick Finance Committee
Article 1:
CONS: The three school buildings have been thoroughly examined and are in a state of significant disrepair requiring many costly repairs as soon as possible. Should this article fail there will be no financial support from the Mass School Building Authority [MSBA] to make necessary repairs to any of the three buildings. Here are some facts:
- 83.4% of the total project is repairs
- At today’s prices, the estimated cost to do just needed repairs, without MSBA support, is $61,729,589
- Without reimbursement from MSBA , the tax impact would be more than double that of the proposed project
- The $42,678,266 grant [reimbursement] from MSBA will be forfeited and allocated to another community
- The base reimbursement from MSBA will decrease by 2% effective for projects approved after January 2012. The increase cost to this proposed project would have been an additional $1.5 million if approval is delayed.
- It is not likely that MSBA will participate in any project that does not address the overcrowding at Woodland.
- Selecting to do repair work only, will not resolve accreditation issues at the high school – library media, science, guidance and general instructional space. Accreditation would be at risk.
- The portable classrooms at Woodland will be/should be condemned soon (DPH), creating a shortage of classrooms
- Outgoing private and parochial placements may increase while school choice numbers decrease
- Poor schools will have a negative effect on property values
- As the schools continue to deteriorate the risk for infrastructure failure increases. [N.B. Should the heating system at Powder Mill fail {most probable to fail first}], the school would have to be closed while repairs are made. Since pipes are encased in asbestos, run through concrete and tunnels too small for a man to crawl through, the costs are sure to exceed the threshold which triggers mandatory ADA upgrades. This means a sprinkler system throughout the building, bathroom upgrades and an elevator, to name a few, must be added at 100% cost to the Town. Emergent relocation of students during the school year would have to occur at an additional cost to the Town]
PROS: The total cost of this proposed project is approximately $71 million for which the communities get full repairs to all three buildings plus a 60,000 square foot addition to the high school and solve accreditation problems. The MSBA will reimburse $42,678,266 of the cost leaving approximately $29 million to be funded by the towns. Additional facts:
- The tax impact is at least half of what it would be by doing just the needed repairs
- The net cost of the project is less than half the cost of doing the needed repairs alone
- 83.4% of the project is for needed repairs
- All infrastructure and building code issues at all three schools are updated
- All school buildings will be appropriately sized (“right-sized”) for the projected enrollments
- The renovation/addition of the HS resolves all facility issues regarding accreditation – library/media center, science classrooms, guidance, general instructional space
- The schools would not need any significant facility upgrade for as much as 50 years
- The community takes advantage of maximized reimbursements, especially those resulting from regionalization
- The communities take advantage of a state reimbursement number that may never be seen again. (one time offer)
- There should be a positive impact on property values
Article 2:
Pro- The town will be eligible for up to 75% reimbursement of the Town's cost for the October storm from FEMA. Reimbursement may be up to 100% for the expenses incurred during the first 72 hours. This short term borrowing covers those expenditures until Fema reimburses the Town.
Con- The Town will pay the total amount, wiping out the stabilization fund until FEMA reimburses for the expenditures or the Town will be in default.
Article 3:
Pro- The equipment that the lightning suppression would protect is vital to the operation of Town services. A key lightning strike may damage costly computers and communication equipment if not better protected. The loss of communication during bad weather could be a major problem jeopardizing the safety of the public and emergency response personnel.
Con- We could leave our equipment unprotected from potential lightning strikes. Insurance may or may not cover the cost of replacing the damaged equipment.
Article 4:
Pro: We are fiscally responsible for paying the salary for a person who was hired as a replacement for an employee on medical leave.
Con: If this is not passed, the town will have to take the money from another account.
Article 5:
Pro: The Town should vote to appropriate and transfer from FY2012 State Local Aid Receipts the sum of $77,144.00 for the DPW Road Paving Account because these funds are available.
Con: Should the Town vote to not appropriate and transfer from FY2012 State Local Aid Receipts the sum of $77,144.00, the requested money will need to be taken from the General Fund or the repairs could not be made.
Article 6:
Pro: The Town should vote to transfer the sum of $14,000.00 from the Sale of Lots Fund to the Cemetery Salary Account because the funds are available from the sale of cemetery plots.
Con: Should the Town vote to not transfer the sum of $14,000.00 from the Sale of Lots Fund to the Cemetery Salary Account, the funds would need to come from a different funding source.
Article 7:
Pro: The Town should vote to appropriate and transfer from Water Retained Earnings the sum of $10,000.00 to supplement funds in the Water Division Line Item for contracted equipment to cover a current deficit in the line item and to provided funds for contracted equipment need for the remainder of the fiscal year because the funds are available.
Con: Should the Town vote to not appropriate and transfer funds from the Water Retained earnings the funds would need to come from a different funding source.
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