AMHERST — Even though a final decision on a $66.4 million plan to co-locate two elementary school buildings on the Wildwood School site didn’t take place until Tuesday, school leaders began to prepare for scenarios should the vote come up short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass — as it did.
A $115,000 request has been brought to the joint capital planning committee, which reviews requests for capital projects, to pay for a structural and environmental study of the Fort River School and its site on South East Street.
Acting Superintendent Michael Morris told the finance committee at its March 16 meeting that this feasibility study and analysis is needed to understand what can be done at the property and done with the building should the vote fail and the school be forced to remain open for several more years.
“The goal would be really to explore the Fort River site and building and to see what is feasible there and what isn’t,” Morris said.
This would give information to school officials as they plan next steps, including whether they should continue with the concept of co-located schools or whether they can attempt to renovate both Fort River and Wildwood.
There have been questions about the suitability of the site for a renovated school at Fort River, as it is on a flood plain and there is high ground water, based on information from senior planner Jonathan Tucker.
Because the schools and town missed the deadline to reapply to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which would provide $34 million for the current project, Morris said the next opportunity to apply for funds from that program will come in 2018, with support from the Select Board. The best-case scenario gets the schools back into the system for funding in January or February 2019.
Morris said that being proactive by seeking money for this study is important for the many parents and community members who are feeling demoralized about the possibility that the vote will fail, and that schools will remain challenging learning environments, with open classrooms that create noise and limit natural light.
Finance committee Chairwoman Marylou Theilman said her committee may take a position on the spending request next week.
When presented last week, the spending was $700,000, but has been significantly reduced. Committee member Timothy Neale said it might be premature to spend money this year, though committee member Stephen Braun said it could be a good idea in a community divided over the project.
The school committee has not taken up the matter, but Vira Douangmany Cage, the lone member who has opposed the project, said she supports a study centered on renovating or rebuilding Fort River, whether through the MSBA process or by having the town do a project on its own.
“Support for our schools is at an all-time high and we should seize this window of opportunity to have educational programs, plans and facilities we all can be proud of,” Douangmany Cage said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.