LIVERMORE FALLS — RSU 73 directors voted unanimously Thursday to approve the conceptual project and design of a $5.3 million renovation and addition to the high school in Jay.
The board also authorized Superintendent Robert Wall to prepare the warrants for the project not to exceed $5.3 million, documentation and to contract preliminary work in support of a public referendum on the addition to the high school. The referendum vote, which will be held on Tuesday, May 8, will be conducted in all three district towns, Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls.
The proposed building project includes adding a three-story addition to the end of the Spruce Mountain High School North Campus. There will be 10 classrooms and five small group rooms.
The addition would be 17,000 square feet.
A smaller addition would be added for a new administrative office adjacent to the library that would allow for more security to the building, especially after school opens for the day.
The project also calls for adding two public bathrooms near the front of the building, adjacent to the gym and an addition on to the band room at Spruce Mountain Middle School. The room is used by both middle and high school students.
If voters in the three towns vote to approve the addition, officials anticipate the project would start in June and be completed in August 2013. If the addition vote fails, then the school board has reserved the right to reopen Livermore Falls high school.
Over a 20-year bond period, the interest on the proposed building project is estimated to be $2.27 million making the total cost of the project $7.57 million. The cost would depend on interest rates at the time. Of the $5.3 million, $1.3 million is set aside to bring the school up to code.
The board is proposing to consolidate students from both the north campus school and the south campus high school in Livermore Falls at the Jay school in fall 2013.
Voters in Livermore Falls and Livermore will vote Tuesday, April 3, to decide whether to close the high school in Livermore Falls by June 30, 2013, or keep it open.
A public hearing on the proposed closure will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27, in the Livermore Falls high school cafeteria.
If voters in both towns vote to keep the school open, taxpayers in Livermore and Livermore Falls would bear the burden of paying $650,758.79 to keep it open. If one town votes to close the school, then the school closes.
If voters decide to close the school and the addition passes, the $650,758.79 would be used to help offset the cost of running one high school.
The plan is to operate the two high schools in 2012-13. All of the ninth-graders would attend the north campus in Jay along with grades 10, 11 and 12 from the Jay area.
The south campus in Livermore Falls would serve grades 10, 11 and 12 from Livermore and Livermore Falls.
Teachers said during discussion Thursday that with the restructuring changes anticipated for next year, there will be less electives for students at both high schools.
The addition planned to be ready the following year is expected to serve the needs of all students and increase the number of electives offered to students.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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