SHERMAN — The Board of Selectmen and school board are clashing over a proposal to spend at least $22 million on a Sherman School renovation.
School board members were recently critical of the selectmen for what they considered a delay in moving forward. But the selectmen say they planned to address the proposed Sherman School renovation project in January — but after a handful of school board members spoke “quite harshly” about selectmen earlier this month, First Selectman Don Lowe said they’d rather address the matter sooner.
During the Board of Education’s Dec. 2 meeting, Matt Vogt and a few other board members expressed frustration and dissatisfaction with handling of the proposed school project, saying not enough action has been taken over the last 11 months. The town approved up to $50,000 for hiring Tecton Architects to come up with designs and cost estimates for the project. The project is expected to cost $22 million to $25 million.
Although a three-year assessment of the school, which included a study by Friar Architecture, Vogt said the 11-month time lapse since the last public forum and the Board of Selectmen’s request for two months to provide feedback “absolutely outrageous.”
He also called the Board of Selectmen’s lack of action a “political tactic that goes directly against the best interests” of the town and Sherman School students.
Lowe said there were “many negative statements made by members of the Board of Education” during that meeting, but accusing the selectmen of purposely delaying the school renovation plan against the betterment of the children is “ridiculous.”
“The education of our children is tremendously important to our board,” Lowe said.
Selectman Bob Ostrosky said he disagrees with Vogt’s comments about 11 months being too long of a time to “debate spending $22 million.”
“I strongly believe a project of this magnitude that would alter the future of our town and the future financial situation of so many deserves healthy debate and as much time that is necessary to reach the right conclusion,” Ostrosky said. “All the citizens of our town deserve no less.”
What Ostrosky said was similar to a comment Superintendent-Principal Jeff Melendez made during the school board’s Dec. 2 meeting.
Melendez acknowledged board members’ frustration with the project’s lack of progress, but said delays are “not uncommon” — especially when there’s a lot of money involved.
“Communities don’t like spending money, and this is a small community, which makes it a very unique challenge,” Melendez said. “I don’t think it is unrealistic for members of the community and members of leadership to be hesitant to go into a large expenditure like this.”
Lowe said he cannot support the school project that’s been presented by the Board of Education and said a “fervent demand” for support is “a little bit absurd.”
“Even with the Board of Selectmen’s support, this project is probably doomed,” he said. “To speak frankly, the school renovation plan is clearly unpopular in town and has no chance of passing, whether the Board of Selectmen supports it or not.”
Lowe said he has not “heard one person around town who supports it,” and noted that if implemented, the approxmiaterly $22 million project would raise taxes 8 to 10 percent.
‘A little bit tone deaf’
Lowe and Ostrosky both expressed concern about Vogt and other school board members’ push for support of an expensive project in the midst of a pandemic.
“Any project asking for such a large tax increase in the midst of a COVID pandemic is going to have problems,” Lowe said. “People are really hurting right now and there’s also a lot of indecision as we wonder how long this pandemic will last.”
Lowe said bringing a project “of this magnitude” forward at such a difficult time is “an uphill struggle” and “a little bit tone deaf.”
Ostrosky agreed, pointing out that there are people worried about losing their homes, personal finances and their health as a result of the pandemic.
“It is unfortunate for the entire world that there is a pandemic going on, and I remind you that it is impacting our town,” he said. “What I heard (from school board members) was borderline extreme-level tone deafness to the situation going on around us, and that tone rings loud in my ears in regards to how I think about this project right now.”
Ostrosky said large town projects like the one proposed for Sherman School require “healthy dialogue and cooperation to reach an end goal,” and he was “troubled” by comments Vogt and fellow school board members Tim Laughlin and James Neunzig made on Dec. 2.
“When I heard accusations, name-calling and misrepresentations of others’ opinions, it came across as petty and divisive — especially in light of the current situation we find ourselves,” he said.
Lack of specifics
Lowe said the school renovation proposal also lacks specifics, such as “what it is and why we are doing it,” and he can’t justify supporting it as is.
“The current proposal lives and breathes general assertions — we need to enhance learning; we need to coordinate infrastructure; we need to do the right thing; we need to make the school the gem so it attracts families — but these aren't specifics, and it’s really hard to explain to folks and get them to pony up with their taxes on general statements,” he said.
Ostrosky agreed and said “rushing decisions for artificial deadlines without knowing the full scope and dimensions of a project usually results in a less than optimal solution.”
While there are aspects of the Sherman School in need of improvement and replacement, Lowe added, he doesn’t think a large renovation project is the answer.
Moving forward
Prior to last week’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Lowe told Hearst Connecticut Media that he viewed the school board’s Dec. 2 meeting as contentious, but saw it as “a stepping stone to success going forward.”
During Tuesday’s meeting, Lowe proposed a four-step process for moving forward, consisting of “assessment, report, prioritization and action.”
He said the first step would involve having a “realistic assessment” of the school building done “by individuals with nothing to gain.”
“We need to stop paying outside entities for plans,” Lowe said. “They have a lot of incentives for finding things to (call) wrong, and a lot of incentives to find things to rebuild.”
After assessing the situation, Lowe said a report should be formed and priorities identified.
“Then we need to find out how much those priorities cost, and after that we need to take it to the public and educate the public — let them know what’s going on — then go to a vote,” he said.
Lowe said Sherman has a history of voting favorably on building improvements, and he believes something could be done with the Sherman School if it’s “done the right way with a lot of teamwork.”
“I think that the time has come for the Board of Selectmen, and hopefully some others, to roll up our sleeves, work positively together and work on behalf of the interests of our children at our school,” he said.
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December 26, 2020 at 06:00PM
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'A little bit tone deaf': Sherman Selectmen, school board members clash over school project - CT Insider
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