Vocational education has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Just ask Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School Superintendent-Director Aaron Polansky. Polansky met with Mattapoisett’s Capital Planning Committee on March 5 to discuss not only the changing complexion of vocational education in the 21st century, but the needs of the aging school.
Polansky proudly stated that the school has a 99-percent graduation rate with a daily attendance rate of 97 percent. Continuing with the good news, he said that 91 percent of graduates either continue their education or secure employment in their field of study.
Regarding college opportunities, Polansky said there are programs for students that allow them to earn articulated college credit while still in school. Today’s vocational schools have rigorous academic standards, he said, and that 68 percent of the Old Colony student body participate in more than one sport. The school has earned eight sports-related championships in the last two years.
But there are some very real challenges ahead, given the age of the school. While the school’s reputation has increased, as programming has expanded, the school-aged living in member communities are also increasingly seeking enrollment.
“We received 330 applications for 150 slots,” Polansky said of the coming school year. Adding more slots is not an option for the school, he said. Expansion of programming and the school’s footprint are in the conceptual expansion stages. But nothing progressive can happen until the physical needs of the school are addressed, Polansky explained.
OCRVTHS was built in the town of Rochester in 1975 in an area of the community that is not serviced by public water supply. Polansky laid out the dire reality, expansion cannot take place until the water tank is replaced.
The freshwater well was constructed the same year the school was built, Polansky said. The 6,000-gallon, underground water-storage tank is 10-years past its expected lifespan and now showing signs of deterioration. It needs to be replaced. Cost estimates received in 2016 for a full replacement were $73,000. Associated with the water well is the need for new water pumps. Polansky did not have replacement-cost estimates for that equipment.
Polansky said he would be reaching out to the Massachusetts School Building Association with a letter of intent to file for a grant. The letter will outline the need for immediate financial assistance to ensure the school remains open, but he is also looking at member communities for funding.
Mattapoisett Town Administrator Mike Gagne said that presently there is not a funding mechanism for the school’s capital needs, an issue that has also been raised with Old Rochester Regional School District. But he added that the town’s financial planning should include capital needs, stabilization plans, and the setting aside of funds that can be used to chip away at the school’s infrastructural repairs and improvements. He said that the school’s capital needs will be added to the 10-year plan, a move that has never been taken in the past.
Other capital projects Polansky outlined include a security vestibule in the main lobby, flooring, kitchen grease traps, replacement of the public-address systems including phones, asphalt repair, and storm-water drainage systems.
OCRVTHS’ member communities, along with Mattapoisett and Rochester, are Acushnet, Carver, Lakeville, and tuition-based slots from Freetown residents. The school offers 13 vocational programs.
The committee also met with Henri Renauld, Water and Sewer superintendent. On the 10-year Water and Sewer Enterprise plan in the FY21 column, Renauld listed $195,000 representing water-related projects such as village water-main replacement at $150,000, $15,000 for truck replacement, and $30,000 for risk assessment. The plan in the sewer enterprise column totals $2.205 million. Planning for sewer connections on North Street from the Route 6 intersection to Industrial Drive represents $1.8 million of the total. Another $320,000 is needed for plant and piping upgrades, Renauld listed.
Renauld discussed the possibility of utilizing his staff to tackle projects versus subcontracting the work, the latter expected to result in a much larger expense to the town. He demonstrated the point by evaluating expenses and found a difference of over $150 per foot in savings to the town. He listed prevailing wages at $181 per foot versus staff installation at $36.47 per foot in the analysis.
Renauld said of the North Street sewer expansion, “We’ll never go over the Route 195 overpass.” He said that notices would be sent to property owners to gauge their interest in tying into the public system. Previous attempts had failed to garner a majority of interest, he said.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee is scheduled for March 19 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Capital Planning
By Marilou Newell