York Town News
Plans moving forward for municipal complex without school administration
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - When the Board of Selectmen held its meeting Monday night, the focus ranged from budget discussions to parade safety to the planning phase of a proposed municipal complex.Selectmen Chairman David Marshall updated the board on the work of the Municipal Building Committee, which includes among its membership designated representatives from the Board of Selectmen and School Committee.
Early in the process, Marshall explained, he and others hoped to move the York School Department Central Office from its Route 1 location into the new facility currently being designed.
Back in May, voters approved the use of funds from the town's existing accounts to purchase a parcel of land located behind the historic Coventry Hall and Ice House properties on Long Sands Road for the a municipal complex.
With Gov. John Baldacci's new school consolidation plan creating concern among School Department officials and School Committee members, Marshall said, the discussion at the most recent Municipal Building Committee meeting veered away from collocating the School Department and Town Hall. The committee has recommended the architect, at this point, move forward with plans for a smaller building of about 21,000 square feet as opposed to the estimated 27,000 square feet to include the school offices.
Selectman Torbert Macdonald, Jr., said that given Baldacci's plan it would make more sense to bring the School Department into one town facility that could not be overtaken by a regional school board.
"I don't see any rational reason why they wouldn't want to come in-house with us and ensure that asset is retained under town auspices," he said.
Marshall said that while he supports collocation, one potentially positive aspect of the School Committee's current position is that it allows for a smaller building on the site - something some residents advocated for during the discussion of a new Town Hall.
Selectman Mike Estes agreed, describing the importance of a "quaint big building in the middle of the town" to meet the needs of the community without over-building on the site.
He pointed out that the schools and town, while working together, are very different, and urged the board to honor the recommendations of the committee to go forward with the direction given to the architect.
Last Wednesday, Jan. 17, School Committee member Mary-Jane Merrill, who serves as liaison to the Municipal Building Committee, explained that the discussion centered on the viability of building additional space for the School Department with the state's plan potentially removing all administrative services from local control.
At that meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione explained that one concern was increasing the town's construction costs by building a larger facility if the schools would not, ultimately, need that space.
Assistant Superintendent Jim Amoroso noted that such a move could actually cost the town money, as the sale of the current facility on Route 1 would probably yield fewer funds than the cost of construction of new space.
At Monday's selectmen's meeting, Vice Chairman Dwight Bardwell said it is unfortunate that the School Department does not want to be a part of the new building, but pointed out the current central office fills their needs and was obtained by the schools at a time when the town had no plans for a new complex.
"I think that, clearly, they've established themselves there; they're comfortable there," he said, adding that with the bombshell of the Baldacci plan, "The forces of nature have come together at the wrong time for them to deal with that as well as everything else that's on their plate."
With the governor's proposal looming, School Committee Vice Chairwoman Marilyn Zotos said last week she could not be comfortable supporting the move for the School Department.
"We don't know what anything means for us," she said. "We're just kind of in this hold-our-breath stage right now."
School Committee Chairwoman Patty Hymanson also acknowledged the uncertainty when that board met last week.
"I would ask that any building that is built be flexible, and potentially incorporate a phase 2," she said.
Ultimately, Selectman Len Dorrian suggested just that, advocating planning the building with an eye toward future expansion capability for the York School Department or other needs.
"We'd be very short-sighted if we didn't do more than pay lip-service to being expandable," he said.
Earlier in the meeting, Town Manager Rob Yandow updated the board on local efforts to make holiday parades safer for participants in the wake of tragedies in other communities.
Plans are in the works to require permits for parade participants in order to ensure safety protocols are in place, Yandow said.
"There will be a whole series of criteria, but there will be no charge for the permit," he told the board, adding a committee of public safety officials is continuing to work on the details, which will come forward to the board in the future for implementation as selectmen's policy.
In other business, the board unanimously reappointed Town Assessor Rick Mace to his post and Town Clerk Mary-Anne Szeniawski as registrar of voters, as required by law, and appointed Dorrian and Estes to the town's Affordable/Workforce Housing Committee.
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29.
