Rochester’s election on November 18 seeking approval of both a $288 million Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School building project and a debt exclusion to fund the town’s $24 million share of that cost resulted in a resounding “No” to both questions.
The question to approve the building project, which was also on ballots in Old Colony’s other member towns, Acushnet, Carver, Lakeville, and Mattapoisett, failed in Rochester with a tally of 680 voters saying “no” and 503 votes saying “yes.”
The question on the town ballot to approve a Prop 2 1/2 debt exclusion for the expense garnered 682 “no” votes and 507 yes votes. Town Clerk Marjorie Barrows reported 1,192 ballots were cast in Rochester, a town that has 5,717 residents as of the 2020 census.
Now the school district awaits the final voter tallies from Acushnet, Carver, Lakeville, and Mattapoisett. That’s what Old Colony School Committee member and Rochester resident David Hughes said he is waiting for. “The people of Rochester have spoken,” Hughes said. “Now we’ll see what the other towns will do to come to form a final conclusion.”
The state School Building Authority’s reimbursement for the new school’s price tag was projected to be $129 million. The remaining total cost that the school district members would share was estimated at approximately $159 million. Rochester’s share of that price tag would have been $28.4 million. The debt exclusion would have cost $646.86 per year for the average home assessed at $610,000.
The money would have funded a larger, more modern building that replaces the serious infrastructure deficiencies of the current facility at 476 North Avenue, Rochester.
Rochester’s Old Colony Vote
By Michael J. DeCicco