Groton Schools Will Seek $75,000 To Plan Next Referendum

The Groton Public Schools will ask for $75,000 to make plans for a new Phase II school construction referendum, according to schools' proposed Capital Improvement Plan.

The money would be requested for the coming fiscal year.

"While the referendum last year failed, our aging schools require work to maintain status quo and additional space to meet the needs of contemporary education," the plan reads.

The $75,000 would pay for tasks such as siting, construction estimates and plans to deal with racial balance, busing and redistricting. Wes Greenleaf, director of buildings and grounds for Groton Public Schools, discussed the Capital Improvement Plan with the school board's facilities committee on Monday.

In May, called "Phase II" that relied on state subsidies and an anticipated reimbursement rate, which would have reduced the total cost to $65.8 million.

Andrew Parella, chairman of the political action committee Friends for Affordable Education, said the group met Tuesday to discuss school issues. He said members agree that Groton should not close a middle school until it has a plan

He said the group has not yet decided what kind of plan it would support.

"It's all dependent on what it's going to cost and what will be included in it," he said.

Parella said the Phase II construction plan, which Superintendent Paul Kadri took the lead in promoting, was rejected by taxpayers for a variety of reasons.

"He wanted to give us the Cadillac," Parella said. "But you can't always have the Cadillac. Sometimes you have to settle for the Buick or the Volkswagen."

Scott Aument, a member of Friends for Affordable Education and of Representative Town Meeting, said the group spoke to school board members about touring the school buildings.

"We're not against a new Phase plan," Aument said. "We just want to be involved in the process to make sure the dollars are spent wisely."

A list of capital projects the school department will ask for in 2013 is below:

 -      $75,000 to develop plans for a new Phase II school construction referendum.

-       $250,000 to remove asbestos from (asbestos removal from seven other schools will cost $2.7 million by 2018).

-       $600,000 to replace the old section of roof at (a state grant may be available to reimburse half the cost).

-       $108,000 for plans to correct fire code issues at . The school has no sprinkler system or escape windows and has an old alarm system.

-       $170,000 for plans to correct parking access and fire code issues at Mary Morrisson Elementary. The school has no sprinkler system or escape windows.

-       $275,000 to replace two defective steam boilers at . The existing boilers are almost 60 years old.

-       $54,000 for plans to correct fire code issues at the school administration building.