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Board of Selectmen: Jamie Toale, Chairman; Damon McQuaid, Clerk; Phyllis Luck, Member;
Katey Adams, Member
Not present: Robert Ebersole, Vice Chairman
Also Present: Heather Lemieux, Town Manager; Dr. Kate Burnham, School Superintendent:
John Londa, Facilities Director
School Committee Members: Heather Sroka, Chair; Wendy Bertrand, Vice Chair; Carol
Archambault, Secretary; Meredith Weiss, Jim LaVeck
The meeting opened at 7:00 p.m.
The School Committee conducted their business and then participated in the workshop with the
Board of Selectmen. Mr. Toale called the Board of Selectmen meeting to order at 7:27 p.m. this
and thanked the School Committee for meeting with them.
The Board had a list of items they wanted to discuss with the School Committee:
1) The future of Turkey Hill Elementary School (long term plan) and 10 year projected
costs
Mr. Londa reported on the ten-year Capital plan for Turkey Hill Elementary School (THES) that
outlines projected costs from FY20 through FY25. Part of the Capital Plan includes ongoing
asbestos abatement; removing spray-on asbestos from the ceilings as well as affected floor tiles
and the associated glues that hold the tiles.
One other significant item occurs in FY 24; requesting $500,000 as a placeholder for 50% of the
cost of a potential Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) project to reroof Turkey
Hill Elementary. At that time, we will need to decide if we are going to proceed with the project.
If we do use the MSBA for the rerooting, we could not return to them to request more funding
for THES for ten years. The total cost for the Capital Plan for THES is $955,000, which includes
the reroofing amount.
Ms. Luck asked if the MSBA counts individual projects or one project as a whole? Mr. Londa
stated we could do projects on other schools. He was planning to do another for a boiler system
upgrade through MSBA on the Primary School in FY26.
Mr. McQuaid asked the group if they foresaw starting a conversation about renovation or
replacement of THES. Dr. Burnham stated it would be at least a year or two in advance because
we would have to express our intent for a project with MSBA.
Discussion about the possibility to add on to THES ensued. Ms. Sroka pointed out the time to
think about that would be when the roof needs to be replaced.
Mr. Toale asked what role can the Town or the Board of Selectmen or any other town resource
provide help with? He noted MRPC has a lot of data about demographics, housing etc.
Discussion about projecting enrollment ensued.
RECEIVED & FILED
JAN 16 2019
LUNENBURG TOWN
CLERK OFFICE
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building. Ms. Adams asked about mixed use of the space for students and the general public;
how does that sharing happen and keep students safe? She had concerns about using the building
as a Town Hall and the impact on student safety and traffic flow. She believed congesting that
space has a negative impact. Mr. LaVeck stated the Boys and Girls Club representatives should
be included in any discussion about the availability of extra space and how they would deal with
safety. Discussion about varied access for different needs in the building ensued as well as the
traffic flow.
Mr. Toale stated he did not share Ms. Adams' concern and was supportive of CORI checks and
security cameras. He noted the center of town is gravitating toward the school campus, with the
Senior Center, the Public Library, the Teen Center all being in the general area. Memorial Drive
will become a thoroughfare and we'll figure out how to manage the traffic. His concern was if
we are going to share space, are there any academic requirements that we aren't aware of.
Dr. Burnham stated we are seeing an increase in new enrollments of younger children. It would
be prudent for us to look to use available space for relocating our Pre-K classrooms, currently we
have two. We also service children with disabilities that have been identified early. We may have
a need for a third classroom in the near future. We have the Early Learning Center and Extended
Day Program. We will have to have six first grade classes and anticipate six kindergartens for
next year.
Ms. Adams asked if TC Passios would be better utilized as an overflow building for the school
department. She wanted to know what the $2 million of immediate repairs cited in the Vertex
building study would pay for.
Dr. Burnham did not foresee needing the entire TC Passios building, for even our expanding
needs during the school day as an additional school building. But if we are talking about empty
classrooms/space, before demolition, please check in with me first.
3) Inclusion of a town representative to participate in union negotiations
Ms. Luck stated when she looked at the last union contract and the effect it would have, she felt
the contract did not look at what were the goals of the school system. Could the school system
afford this? Adding a million dollars over three years is a lot. She did not think this would
benefit the school system. About 70% of the budget goes to the school, so the Town has a huge
stake in this. The School Committee would benefit from having someone from the Town; Town
Manager, the Finance Director or a Finance Committee member... someone with a more global
look at the budget, participate in negotiations.
Mr. Toale asked who currently participates in the negotiations. Ms. Sroka stated the School
Superintendent, two members of the School Committee and our Business Manager too, but he
was not with us last time we negotiated. Dr. Burnham stated she foresaw working with the Town
Manager in this process as well. Both boards agreed that the Town Manager would be involved
in the negotiations.
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various boards/committees)
Mr. Toale asked what should be the relationship between our two boards and how do we best
communicate, advocate etc.? Discussion ensued. Suggestion was made to share the School
Superintendent's report and as the Town Manager's report between the two boards. Ms. Lemieux
noted her report is done weekly so it might not be on a broader view. It would only capture what
happened that week. Each board will decide what type of format to send
6) Joint planning opportunities such as events, outreach, and communication
Discussion about the Selectmen participating in Homecoming Parade ensued. Ms. Sroka noted
she just found out they were not invited but will be in the future. Mr. Toale stated traditionally
the Board members have not been invited. Ms. Adams stated she had attended.
It was suggested by Ms. Sroka that the School Committee members attend Annual Town
Meeting.
It was suggested to check with other private and non-profit organizations to get dates of their
upcoming events so they do not conflict with town events. Another suggestion was to ask The
Lunenburg Ledger to print an event calendar.
Follow-up points:
• Ms. Lemieux will provide the conceptual plans of town buildings to the School
Committee members for them to review at one of their future meetings and provide input
on their needs to the Board of Selectmen.
• Each Board will begin to send their reports in December and check in in March to see
how the format is working.
• Town Manager will participate on the school union negotiations.
Ms. Sroka suggested everyone tour Turkey Hill Elementary School after school hours to see
what it looks like inside and to where the asbestos removal has occurred. Mr. Toale thanked the
School Committee members for discussing the items with them.
Mr. McQuaid motioned to adjourn the meeting and Ms. Luck seconded. Vote: All in Favor
The meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elainem. Peterson
Elaine M. Peterson
Executive Assistant to the Town Manager