The town is seeking the most cost effective way to address these two buildings. Of all the options considered, the most fiscally-responsible, educationally-appropriate solution is to build a co-located building with minimally phased construction. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), whose mission is to promote cost effective solutions to school building projects, agrees, and invited Duxbury to collaborate on a project and maximize reimbursement to the town.
DMS and DHS are in very serious condition. While the structures of the buildings remain sound, systems are deteriorating and some are becoming hazardous. Ten years ago, when the high school was reaccredited, the condition of the facilities was noted. The high school is again in the process of reaccreditation; the building facilities are a significant factor in the ratings criteria, and if not addressed, could put reaccreditation at risk. Doing nothing is not an option at this point.
What are the options?
There is NOT a NO COST option. There IS a “No Build” option: the option to replace systems and bring the existing buildings up to code, but it is not “no cost.”
| Duxbury Middle School | Duxbury High School | Totals | |
| Current Assessed Value | $14,000,000 | $24,000,000 | $38,000,000 |
| Systems Replacement Estimate | $28,793,700.00 | $39,390,700 | $68,184,400, uncertain reimbursement |
| Renovation Estimate | $46,850,000 | $70,523,000 | $117,373,000, uncertain reimbursement |
| New Build Estimate | $54,049,000 | $84,486,000 | $138,535,000, uncertain reimbursement |
| Co-Located School Estimate | $128,356,000, 45% reimbursement | ||
| Estimated Cost to Town | $77,00,000 |
Note that the annual estimated maintenance cost is $680,000 per year, a figure based on the average for the last five years - a cost that will only increase as systems fail. We receive no reimbursement for increasing maintenance costs.
The systems replacement and renovation numbers are estimates; additional issues may be discovered as the projects get underway. In addition, the renovation would not address issues such as undersized classrooms, building layout, code compliance, and other educational deficiencies.
How did the situation get so bad?
While the basic framework of the buildings is sound, the failing systems are creating conditions that could lead to health and safety concerns. In addition, the physical layout does not meet the need of our educational programs.
In the late 50s and 60s, when these schools were built, energy was cheap and the town was looking for a way to cut costs. As such, the buildings have NO insulation between the exterior brick and interior wall board. Not only does this mean that the buildings are extremely expensive to heat, it has meant that the structures have been affected by the elements much more than we would have liked.
In addition, for the last ten years, the school budget has been severely cut with funding only for level services at best. As such, for several years in the 2000s, there was NO money in the captial budget for the schools and all building maintenance had to be squeezed from the operating budget. It was during this era that the schools had to ask for a temporary debt exclusion to buy textbooks.
Funding is not consistent and future funding is not dependable. The schools are reliant on local and state funding for our budget. If funding is not approved, the schools go without.
The “No Build” options will still cost taxpayers AT LEAST $68,000,000 -- almost twice the assessed value of the buildings -- and we’ll still need to build new schools in another 10-15 years. There may be little or no reimbursement from the state for renovations. Duxbury Middle School and Duxbury High School have the same deficiencies, yet the MSBA will not fund multiple projects in the same town concurrently. Additionally, the MSBA has found that renovating schools with this many structural and educational concerns is not as cost effective as rebuilding.
The estimated total cost of the new build, including design costs -- a co-located (NOT a combined) school -- is $130,000,000. We would get reimbursement from the state for 45% of that cost; the state does have money in its pipeline for our project and it will be released when the project is approved. The final cost to the town is estimated to be $77,000,000. Reimbursement begins immediately: once Duxbury voters approve the first phase of the project in March 2011 at Town Meeting and on Election Day, the MSBA will begin reimbursement to the town.
Additional notes:
- The town and the MSBA are working together to maximize reimbursement to the town. The SBC estimates the reimbursement will be 45%. This percentage will be finalized in a project scope agreement once voters have approved design funds.
- The town must vote to appropriate $128,356,000; the town will have to borrow only our share (approximately $77,000,000).
- The town will fund the project through bonding. This is a temporary (but long-term) tax increase; it will be funded through a debt exclusion. Taxpayers will not see the increase for several more years.
- Town finance officials are exploring the best, most affordable way to finance the debt, mitigating the impact on homeowners. We will communicate more details on financing as they become available.
- Our town does have tax relief programs. If you are concerned about your tax payments and meet certain income criteria, you can contact town hall about these programs.
If the town chooses to do systems replacement or renovations instead a of new co-located building, the town could do only one project at a time. For example, if systems replacement is the choice, it would be the middle school roof one year, the high school electrical system the next, the middle school HVAC the next and so on. Each project would have to be approved at town meeting individually, year after year, and state reimbursement is uncertain.
Additional Considerations
Duxbury students could not be in the buildings during systems replacement or renovation, and no project could be completed during the eight-week summer break. Our students' educations would be further disrupted by attending classes in trailers on Train Field at least a portion of the school year (in case of systems replacement), year after year, or continually (in the case of renovations). Trailer rental is not reimbursable.
Building layouts do not currently meet the needs of our educational program. Renovations or systems replacements would not address these issues.
Renovation/systems replacement issues:
- Longer project duration
- More difficult phasing
- More disruption to school community
- Projects cannot be done concurrently
- No funding guarantees for subsequent projects
- Does not address educational deficiencies, such as:
--Team teaching
--Technology
--Interdisciplinary learning
--Small group learning - Some issues may be exacerbated
--Adding insulation to walls will decrease size of already too-small classrooms
Renovation or systems replacement are not the most cost-effective solutions for taxpayers.
Construction costs are low right now. If we wait, construction costs will rise and if the current trend holds, the reimbursement rate from the state will decrease. In the meantime, the learning environment for students will continue to deteriorate.
As economically difficult as it may be, now is the time to act. Now is the time to make the investment in our schools, our community and our children.
