March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

School officials explain referendum items

HAMPDEN — A delegation of SAD 22 officials addressed the Hampden Town Council Monday night to explain referendum questions that will be coming before the voters during the Nov. 2 elections.

The first question will request bonding for $950,000 to make roof repairs on Hampden Academy and the George B. Weatherbee School, both in Hampden, and the Newburg Elementary School.

Superintendent Rick Lyons, who was accompanied by Building Committee Chairman Eric Stamp, turned the meeting over to Emil Genest, assistant to the superintendent for business and Rick Poulin, a representaive of Allied Architect and Engineers, who explained with charts and with a slide presentation the problems facing the district.

Most of the pictures they displayed showed conventional gravel and tar flat-roofed structures, most with a problem of considerable standing water.

The roof repairs at Hampden Academy and estimated costs include: the 1972 science wing, 12,780 square feet, $256,000; the 1960 classroom wing addition, 7,660 square feet, $153,000; and the connecting corridor to the 1960 addition, 1,560 square feet, $31,000.

Repairs needed at the Weatherbee School included: the classroom addition, 9,886 square feet, $198,000; and the connecting area, 1,437 square feet, $29,000.

The Newburg Elementary School roof repairs include: the gymnasium, 3,165 square feet, $63,000; and the classrooms, 9,900 square feet, $198,000.

The proposed new roofing would be a rubber membrane. Constuction would also have to comply with state structural mandates requiring R-30 insulation and compliance with BOCA code structure requirment.

The new roof construction at all buildings would include pitched roofs.

The new roofing material, said Poulin, has a warranty for 10 years with an option for another 10 years.

The school district does not have capital reserve accounts with money put aside each year to take care of the repairs becaue, said Genest, state law limits amounts that schoopl dfistricts may carry forward to 3 perent of the budget. That would give SAD 22 a maximum of about $350,000. The district actually carries forward about $150,000. One reason for the needed repairs now is that for the past few years schools have been forced to cut budgets and the first thing that gets cut is the maintenance budget.

Now however, the roofs need to be repaired. Many of them are leaking and causing damage inside the building, causing unnecessary mildew buildup and could eventually contaminate the air.

Councilors were also informed that this would not be the end of roof work; in the next three to five years an additional $750,000 would be needed.

Councilor Donald Muth said the state should allow schools to have capital reserve accounts to avoid this sort of occurance. Councilor William Natalieagreed saying it would be a lot cheaper for the communities to be amassing money that is earning interest than it is to have to borrow money and having to pay interest.

If the proposal is accepted by the voters in November, the projects could go to bid by February and construction could take place during the spring and summer months.

Superintendent Lyons also explained that voters will have a choice to decide on whether to continue with the districtwide school budget meeting or they could hold a referendum in each SAD 22 community, Hampden, Newburgh and Winterport, to vote on the annual budget. If they did not reach a budget on the first vote, they could then hold another referendum or a districtwide budget meeting to reach a compromise budget.


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