Old Colony will again ask voters to consider construction of new building

ROCHESTER — Voters in  Rochester, Mattapoisett, Lakeville, Acushnet and Carver will once again be asked to approve a plan to rebuild Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School that was rejected in a November vote.

At a Wednesday, Jan. 28 meeting the Old Colony School Committee unanimously approved a revote on the proposed $288 million project.

The current, aging building is in need of repairs and infrastructural updates. It also does not meet state space requirements and lacks accessible bathrooms. These changes would be costly — it would take about $134 million to make all of the needed repairs.

The school received a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to cover $129 million of the building project, leaving member towns collectively responsible for the remaining $159 million.

The school committee weighed these options, along with a third option to complete priority repairs every three years, at its meeting before deciding constructing a new building is the most fiscally responsible step forward. 

Superintendent Aaron Polansky said any decision will bear a hefty price tag, and rejecting the construction of a new building doesn't mean the problems the current building has will go away.

“It’s important for people to realize because a ‘no’ vote is not a ‘zero cost’ option,” Polansky said. “A ‘no’ vote is actually a greater cost with a lesser return.”

If the building project is approved in the revote, Rochester is estimated to pay $28 million and Mattapoisett is estimated to pay $8.5 million. 

Last year Rochester voters were also asked whether to fund the project with a temporary increase in taxes. It is not yet clear if the town will again pursue this option. 

Town Administrator Cameron Durant said he hopes to educate voters before the next vote.  

Durant said his job is to provide citizens with all the information and tools they need to perform their civic duty. 

According to Durant, many Rochester residents remain concerned about the increase in taxes if the project passes. 

“We're going to keep our heads down and just continue to work hard to be as transparent as possible,” Durant said.

The school committee will schedule a revote after submitting their decision to the Massachusetts School Building Association.

Shirley Bourque, a committee member representing Rochester, said she is concerned constant repairs will disrupt learning and supports replacing the building. 

“We have to think about how to move forward with education for our children,” Bourque said.