I just spent a fun-filled few minutes at notthepta.org. A couple of folks referred to the future of the Wing building complex. Below is an article by yours truly that was published in your favorite turtle cage liner over three and a half years ago. Your dedicated readers also appear to have missed the point that the FY15 budget includes $75K for a Wing re-lifing study. We remain on track although my six month, mentioned at the end of the article, appears to have become 4-5 years :-) The inertia in this form of government can never be over-estimated. But, to quote Winston Churchill, "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else we've tried."
My crystal ball proved reasonably accurate. Please feel free to "reprint" the article with reference to its original publication date, if you like.
LET'S FIND OUR 2020 VISION
During the week of February 14 the final piece in a giant puzzle was placed face up on the table for the selectmen and school committee. Now all those pieces have to be assembled into a Capital Asset Plan for Sandwich.
Cost estimates were presented for making the Wing complex serviceable as a school long term. There are basically three alternatives. The complex can be renovated for $30 million. New construction coupled with renovation would cost $40 million. A whole new school can be built for $50 million. The consultant also pointed out that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will reemburse about half the cost. The estimates were escalated because construction cannot begin until 2014.
If one of these paths is followed, the voters of Sandwich will be asked to borrow between $15-25 million to have a fourth school building in place in time for the 2015-2016 school year. The problem is, at least as I see it, Sandwich will not need four school buildings. The voters may have good reason to want a fourth school building. That is distinct from needing one.
The school enrollment as of October 1, 2010 was just over 3400. That is down 800 from the peak in 2002. The classes in the high school today average about 260. The entering kindergarten classes over the next four years, based on 2010 census data, will average about 210. Each of the next four years about 260 students will graduate while 210 are entering kindergarten. Consequently, enrollment goes down 50 students per year.
The 2011-2012 fifth through eighth grades are the classes that will occupy the high school at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. Today they number 1080. Every year on average 50 students chose to go to Voke Tech, a charter school or parochial school. If that trend continues, the 2015-2016 high school enrollment will be under 900. Total decline in enrollment is 100 per year or 400 all together. That leaves 3000.
The Forestdale and Oak Ridge schools were each designed to accommodate 780 without resorting to modular classrooms. They have each held over 900. The current high school complex was once operated as a combined middle school and high school with capacity of 1400. Please see the Sandwich Local Comprehensive Plan, Section 5 page 12 to confirm those figures. Adding 780 times 2 plus 1400 yields 2960. Is there an argument for investing $15-25 million to accommodate 40 students?
There are reasons why Sandwich may want four schools. By the 2015-2016 school year the 500 empty seats will be in the high school complex. The bottoms to fill those seats will be in grades K-8. Grades 3 and 4 in 2011-2012 will be grades 7 and 8 in 2015-2016. Today they number 496. Considering space only, by 2015-2016 grades 7-12 would fit in the high school. As a community, do we want to spend $15-25 million to maintain the K-8 structure?
The space in the high school is currently being put to good use. But, is it the best use to fit the needs of the community? I don't think so. The space was designed and built for education not offices. Where might those people go? There are modular classrooms attached to Forestdale and Oak Ridge. Can they be reconditioned as offices for a tiny part of $15-25 million?
That would leave Sandwich with an empty Wing School complex, 140,000 square feet of enclosed, town-owned space. It has plenty of parking. There are kitchen facilities to serve 800 a day. There is also seating and multipurpose space. There is a huge gym with locker rooms. There are multiple well lit rooms of various sizes. There are serious problem with the mechanical systems and accessibility. On the other hand Sandwich needs a senior center, a youth center, expanded library facilities and a unified municipal office complex. That sounds a bit like a community center. Applying creativity and some, probably not all, of that $15-25 million to the empty Wing complex could go a long way toward that community center. Can Sandwich afford a community center project spread out over the next decade?
What about public safety? There seems to be general acceptance that a new public safety building is necessary. The FY'12 budget will include funds to design and estimate the cost of building a joint facility at the intersection of Quaker Meeting House and Cotuit Roads. Can Sandwich do that and maintain the fourth school?
The key is pulling together a Capital Asset Planning body or expanding the CIPC. An amateur like me can come up with a concept in a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. A community group drawn from all the talent in Sandwich should be able to come up with a real workable plan. Or, if we don't trust ourselves, there are always consultants ready to take our money. Should Sandwich plan now while we have time rather than try to deal with all these competing interests in isolation?
At the very least let's ask ourselves some questions. Does Sandwich need four school buildings? Is the fourth school a higher priority than a public safety building? What is the best future use for the Wing complex? Over the next six months, let's get together as a community and make the decisions that will shape Sandwich in 2020.
30 comments:
Bravo Mr. Pierce for telling it like it is.
Sandwich in my opinion does not need a fourth school, given the ongoing decline of students being projected to enroll here over the ensuing years.
We do have a need for a place that we can call a Senior Center a new Police Station and office space for the towns staff to work from one central location, instead of the present locations where it is counterproductive now conducting town business,
Can it be accomplished with out engaging another serious pay out to consultants and back pocket deals to get it done?
If I read your post, you seem to feel that may be the case and if that is the case we are in total agreement. Now is the time to get moving on this transformation of the Wing school to a comprehensive use building that will provide a more useful floor plan to serve a multitude of needs that face our wonderful community into the future..
If we can get the folks who are looking for a new senior center to agree and provide some of the present capitol they have in hand and the town to in fact place the other holdings that presently house the town staffs in the mix of once they are removed from those rolls to sell them and use the money directly to off set some of the bills. The we the town may in fact get a combination senior , youth center, police station along with town departments all at one location . This would, with out a doubt stabilize the tax rates and streamline our towns resources all in one place.
Lets get the train ,moving towards that goal and stop the back door confrontations to achieve a worth while project.
Jim, I can't wait until all the fighting begins about what to do with the Wing School. It will never end in my lifetime.
I suspect that when I retire in 15 years, we will still be fighting about the Wing and it will become a Clark-Haddad problem. The place is a dump and should be raised. In its place we could put in a zipline (75 years after the canopy grows in). Old Winston, as he puffed on a cigar also said "They have a perfect right to kick me out. That is Democracy". Through this post, I a announcing I am a candidate for the BOS when Mr. Pierce runs. I will run for one term and will not be obliged to anyone. I have deep pockets and plan to win.
Jason, I find you to be a breath of Fresh Air. You have my vote.
Meanwhile.....the PSC is making proposals that have the potential to add more vacant buildings to this towns already sad inventory
Closing Wing was supposed to save $1 million dollars somewhere. This taxpayer is pretty sure he’ll never see it.
Before we even close the building we’re spending money to turn it into something else! Unbelievable!
How’s this for a plan? Close Wing and sell it. Return the money to taxpayers in the form of a 1 year tax reduction.
Next, stop proposing any public safety spending until the police department goes 12 consecutive months without arresting one of its own. That will put off any new public safety spend indefinitely.
Could you imagine Mr. Pierce with real opposition.
What's the PSC?
We should level the building. The sooner, the better.
which one?
Jim, I liked reading what you had to say. I agree with you. We are in the midst of big decision and most will cost $$$. As a tax payer I'm not excited about having another tax increase because we need to borrow money. The only thing I wouldn't mind paying add'l taxes for w/b a public safety bldg. That's long overdue. If I could see just one year when the school dept comes in under budget I might have a bit of faith in what they do. If they ever ask for more funding that would require a tax increase I'd definitely vote NO. Enough is enough, fewer students and yet it's more, more, and even more they claim to need. Any of their reasoning to date has not convinced me that their "need" is real. I'm hoping that this budget season the BOS puts the school dept's feet to the fire when he comes to the $1M savings promised last year. Let's see that $1M put towards other Town needs (not wants). Bud has a long list of Needs, lets get working on that.
Just one more thing: recently I saw the supt claiming to have a waiting list from out of Town students for the STEM program. How can he have a waiting list when the SC voted against opening up the Schools to school choice this year? I'd ask the supt via an email, but don't want to hear some around-the-bush answers.
Julie
Turn Wing into affordable housing - let a private developer handle it - everybody's doing it. see this link: www.multihousingnews.com/news/former-worcester-school-to-become-mixed-income-housing/1004077176.html
It is time for Lay off of teachers and that can not be denied, but will it happen? With the reduction in class sizes at the Wing School as a result of the Stem process, one should be expected to see a reduction in teachers as well. The clear question becomes, is the school district now attempting to expand other areas, apparently that is the case.
The One million dollar savings once the Wing School is closed will only be on the school districts side of the ledger and guess who will be paying the heating and maintence bill once it is closed. You will be correct if you say the Tax payers of Sandwich. Not the school district.
That is unless that is worked out between the town and school system, before it is closed and is excepted as excess property. Unlikely given the present process now in place to salvage as much money from the school budget, with out giving any thing back to the town.
If the Wing school can not be repurposed for town uses, then why not have it turned into a assistant senior facility, That would be a good idea for the present Sandwich Initiative Economic committee to work on, rather then putting all the eggs in the present Heritage Museum, non profit, make money schemes being proposed for this place.
At least we could get some money added to our Tax base, that just might benefit every one instead of a non profit group who does not contribute for the present service we give them free.
You have the right idea 1:48
Truth maker, yes I agree that the 1M won't be true savings, but I doubt it will cost that much to maintain minimum standards at the Wing. IMO it's such a mess of a bldg. that it should be put on Mkt at a bargain price to entice someone to buy the darn thing.
I am not sure how the superintendent can ever win in this town. The town has asked him to continue maintaining the Wing building next fall so no. There will be no savings in the budget because the school's budget will still be maintaining the building. In addition, there will not be a huge layoff as so many of this town's people would like to see because there has not been a reduction in the number of students being taught. They have just been reshuffled. If class size increases then you will see families move out of district so now we will have no business tax revenue and less residential tax revenue. I am tired of the older generation not caring at all about the younger generation. If you want to live somewhere with no children or families, move to a 55+ facility in Florida. The Cape is just not that place anymore.
To 3.53 I would like to relate a few other facts of life for you.
To say that the older generation do not care about the younger generation is nothing but a bunch of what makes the green grass grow.
We older generation in Sandwich, have made many sacrifices over many years in order to provide a great educational system for the children of our school district.
That is a fact you can not deny.
It is unfortunate however that your Union representatives have continued to undo the many good things as a result of selfish reasons.
They are the ones who failed to live up to providing the accountability that reflects a positive solution to what ever program is put forward , by any of the superintendents that had any vision for the future educational needs of our students.
The majority of tax payers money, including the older generation have supported the schools at the expense of the whole town infrastructure along with public safety.
When the Wing school is closed, there should be a direct relationship of union job losses, that will no longer be needed.
The facts remain that the student body has been reduced to numbers that also should include less teachers to teach them. Your right about shuffling facts. Perhaps you just moved here, but out student population has been in a decline mode for the past ten years and you can get those shuffling facts in the annual report. The future numbers also show a further decline, in the predicted enrollment numbers.
After the Stem program has been fully implemented into three schools, The number of students can no longer justify the union finding ways to continue the charade of needs on behalf of there members. This process should be where only the teachers that really have the students well being at heart be employed.
Those who no longer meet the goals and expectations of teaching the child, should be let go. With out question, we the town[older generation in your words] should be able to now use the extra cash to rebuild our towns infrastructure, along with both of our safety departments, that have suffered greatly as a result of the [OLDER GENERATION} only caring about them selves.
Presently the town of Sandwich has one of the highest for sale signs in recent years and thanks to the OLDER GENERATION who supported our educational system here over many years, they can no live here , given the tax rates with limited benefits.
Sorry for the rant, but lets keep the truth in the process of attempting to understand facts rather then fiction.
When the Town side of government can accomplish all of the needs they have let go over many years to keep our union controlled school system in the muck and using tax dollars to support ineffective teachers and administrators wasting educational dollars for there own agenda, I might change my mind and play some shuffle board on a ship sailing along the Red Sea.
To Truth Maker. You do speak the truth! There are many new(er) people in this Town who have no idea of the School Dept's history. Promises made and broken, Teachers who are just there because they're there, etc. thanks for speaking your mind
Julie
Just for clarity, in 2002 Sandwich school enrollment peaked at 4212. The unofficial 2014 count is 2877, down 32%. The New England School Development Council projects 2500 by 2023.
It is pointless to debate whether the school committees and school superintendents who served prior to 2011 could have responed more effectively. That is water under the bridge or over the dam.
Now I'll repeat words I read at Town Meeting in May. "Planning to restructure the school district began over four years ago with the Wing Task Team. Over three years ago that became the district master plan team. In the summer of 2011 a new auperintendent joined us. He and the SC stepped up to three major issues; declining enrollment, a deteriorating building and a hemorrhage of money following students to other schools. Phase 1 will see grades 7 and 8 consolidated in the high school. (DONE) Phase 2 will decommission Wing in the fall of 2015 resulting in considerable savings."
It is equally pointless to debate whether the consolidation could have been done sooner. We are where we are. And, it remains to be seen whether a stronger, unified 7-12 program will stem (pun intended) the hemorrhage of money to charters.
There will be savings! There will be one less principal. There will be one less assistant principal. There will still be 2800 students to clean up after. But, there will be 140,000 sqft less floor to sweep, wash and wax. There will still be 2800 to feed, but, one less cafeteria to staff. It will be cheaper to keep the building at 50 degrees than 68 degrees. There will be fewer lights burning in the day time. There will be much less stress on one wastewater treatment plant. There will no longer be duplication or triplication of staff functions. With grades in one building, it will be possible to hold staff in check without compromising class size.
The "Sooth Sayer" is correct in that seniors have been incredibly patient and supportive for a decade or more. Now it is time to capture those savings and channel them to improved public safety, especially emergency medical response, and senior services.
Capture the savings and make sure the school department does not get a budget increase for next year! They should be able to live within their current budget with less staff, less students, less buildings, less supplies to buy, less food to buy for cafeterias, less support staff and so on and so on.
I have two questiones Jim. If this plan has been in motion for so long, why is the town not yet ready to take on the building and WHY is the school department carry the cost of the Wing building next September? Don't you think we are setting up the superintendent for a fall? There is less savings for the school department if their budget is covering the Wing building and will it be made VERY clear to the town why the savings are not what was promised?
I count three questiions;-)
Question 1: A majority of the Board of Selectmen would not support appropriating the money ($75,000) to do a feasibility study and get a cost estimate until after the School Committee voted to stop using Wing as a school. Personally, I'd have preferred to have done it two years ago.
Question 2: If you review Dr. Canfield's remarks, you'll find he said $0.7-1.0M. Even those numbers were exclusive of capital to support restructuring. Of course, the $1.0M was then ceased upon as a promise.
Question 3: The town facilities department consists of two people neither of whom is familiar with the varity of mechanical systems at Wing. The school system will likely continue to use the athletic fields. The school district facilities department has the people to keep the heat on, secure the building and keep the grass mowed.
Once the school closes, I doubt the schools will use the fields -- they're used primarily by private groups -- Youth Soccer, Little League, etc. now
Let the Rec Dept run them -- they can pass the cost of operating the fields to those who actually use them.
Maybe they could even get some rent for the concession stand that Little League built on public property.
I vote the building gets sold to a private developer ASAP. This Town can not develop its way out of a paper bag! (How many attempts to sell the Golden Triangle? What about the former Selectmen who thought he should be given free use of a public building for a pretend organization?)
One thing on my mind is that Jim does not get the fact that there are many people with children who will vote if prompted and prodded. They want the Town to take the dump, I mean, school. Why can't the Town just winterize the building and just not use it until someone can figure out what to do with it. Why not go for efficiency and have one department in this Town for buildings and grounds? This way, that organization can familiarity and authority to learn the school system. As for "a majority of the board of selectmen would not support the money ($75,000)" for a feasibility study. Have you guys discussed in the back "back room" among yourselves, two at a time?
"develop its way out of a paper bag"
aint that the truth
Continuing their long-standing, bone-headed tradition of placing silly but potentially deal-breaking restrictions and limits on potential developments before anyone has even considered the possibilities, the Selectmen and town manager have placed “parking” requirement set asides into the Wing School development proposal process. Why?
Proposals should be as open ended, imaginative and unrestricted as possible. Let every idea and every possibility get generated and explored. IF parking is really an issue, lets address that separately and with an open mind to the myriad of solutions that might be available for the down town area including but NOT exclusively at Wing.
I tired of all you people who seem to know everything, but fail to do anything to go on and on about accomplishing anything. Plain and simple, destroy the building, sell the property to some party that will develop it to look like it should in the historical area of Town.
Make sure they have a plan that will generate a decent amount of tax dollars. Wait for the parking lot until we get a new power plant; with the extra tax dollars from the plant, build an underground garage with 1,000 spaces. Oh, and save an acre or two of the school for not a senior center, but rather a Community Center for young and old. Let's stop the talk and walk the walk.
Jason a community center should be on the table of discussions that we can agree on. The needs are there for both the youth and seniors and if one were to be built would enable each other in understanding the age we all now live in with more knowledge of each others difficulties.
We also need a place where the seniors can live with help as well as these afflicted with physical disabilities, Young or
old.
But we are going to only address zip lines and baseball fields as a town.
We are a long way away from getting any further help from our power plant unless and until they decide to close down other faulty power plants in our state. Now that would be a revolutionary event for sure.
tired of "all you people" ? I would think you would be tired of all the people who get some pretty hefty salaries making you feel this way.
Carl, there may be a need for a senior or youth center, but we don't have the money. You know, as well as I, that the Town will not do anything either soon or for a less than huge amount of money.
If we just developed the property by selling it to a private entity, we would rid ourselves of this problem.
You are right, we do have the needs for seniors and youth, but we don't have the money. I will be elderly in ten years and I don't want to pay the money for the building or for what we might do to it.
Those folks who are concerned about the Wing school , should read todays editorial in the Cape Cod Times. It would seem that we need to get in line with many of the other cape towns that also are going through this reduction of students in there schools.
So many schools shutting down and no one around to come up with a fix that can be productive for the towns to explore, makes you kind of wonder what in fact will become of the Wing school in the real world of finding another use for this building.
It has been suggested to remove it and resell the land , Is that a practical solution?
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