To the residents and voters in Mattapoisett,
Voters are once again being asked to decide on Saturday, June 20th, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Old Hammondtown School whether to approve construction of a new Old Colony Regional Vocational High School. Some may ask why the proposal has returned to the ballot. Last year, many voters across the Old Colony District did not fully understand what a failed vote would mean. If the measure is rejected, the state will require the current 50-year-old building to be brought up to code, and the district will have to pay for those repairs without state reimbursement. Those repairs, needed over the next decade simply to keep the building operating, are estimated to cost $157 million. By contrast, the new school would cost the district $148 million after state reimbursement, making it the least expensive option.
The school project has a calculator where you can enter your home value and see the difference between the two options (https://oldcolonybuildingproject.com/tax-impact-calculator).
Only 13% of the registered voters in the 5 towns took part in the last election. Mattapoisett was the only town to vote in favor of the project.
The current building limits enrollment and restricts expansion of high-demand vocational programs such as Plumbing, HVAC & Dental Assistant. A new facility would allow Old Colony to continue preparing students for high-demand careers while meeting the needs of the communities they serve. Old Colony’s current enrollment is 560 students; with a new build it would increase to 776 students.
New construction – After State reimbursement the District Cost will be $148,572,618. Mattapoisett’s share is approximately $11 million.
Repair (No state reimbursement) – District cost over a decade long proposed project to avoid Building Code mandated immediate repairs cost would cost $157 million. Mattapoisett’s share is approximately $11.6 million.
A modernized Level 1 vocational school that serves Mattapoisett enhances local property values.I hope that you can join me in supporting the Old Colony Building Project at the election on Jun 20th at Old Hammondtown school.
Respectfully yours,
Ray Andrews, Mattapoisett
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