The School Committee agreed to hire a consultant to get the planning for renovating Watertown’s schools rolling, and at the same time officials will apply to the state for money to renovate the high school.
School officials want to renovate the five Watertown schools, but they need to decide which to tackle first. School Committee Chairman John Portz announced last week that a “request for qualifications” has been put out by the district looking for consultants.
“There are a series of next steps. One is hiring a consultant to prioritize building projects,” Portz said.
The deadline for submitting qualifications is Feb. 24, and Interim Superintendent John Brackett said the district has received 36 requests for information from potential candidates. The budget for the consultant is up to $40,000, Brackett said.
A committee will review applications and choose a consultant. The members include: Portz, Brackett, Interim Business Manager Mary DeLai, School Committee member Liz Yusem, Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli and Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon.
Meanwhile, Portz said he believes Watertown should apply for the fourth time to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to get the renovation of Watertown High School in to the program.
“The building is identified as the most in need and the one that will have the broadest benefit to the community,” Portz said.
If accepted, the town could be reimbursed for close to half the cost of the project.
The deadline to apply to the MSBA is in April, and ultimately the Town Council also has to approve the Statement of Interest, which begins the application process. So, the School Committee will likely be taking it up at its March 13 meeting.
Finally, the School Committee will create a steering/advisory committee to work with the consultant to provide overall guidance for next steps, Portz said.
The committee will include school and town officials as well as community members, Portz said. Town Council President/School Committee member Mark Sideris, Yusem and Portz will put the group together.
While the committee will discuss the renovation plans, Portz said key decisions will come back to the School Committee for discussion and votes.
This is great! Yes, we need a seasoned consultant to take a full view of all our schools and the overall situation. Moving forward!
Indeed!!
How long will it take to form this new committee?
What if it takes 2 and a half years though to form this committee? Remember it’s been almost 2 and a half years for the ad hoc committee for Victory Field to meet.
Why did it take so long to form the ad hoc committee?
When will it meet? (i.e. how soon is “soon”)?
Will turf and lights and everything be on the table considering the massive overcrowding on our playing fields evidenced this fall?
Why hasn’t the School Committee’s Athletic Subcommittee met to discuss?
Why doesn’t the school committee advocate for student athletes – this is a common practice in other towns??
Yes, a consultant to review the entire school system and its future needs, school buildings, families, and other priorities. We need a Transportation Planning Consultant for Watertown for the same reasons: to look at the entire transportation and traffic situation now, look ahead for our future needs, and determine what new streets, traffic improvements, community paths, public transit priorities, and pedestrian enhancements will be needed to help us move into the new world. There will be more residents, new developments, larger populations traversing through Watertown, encouragement of public instead of private transit, and whatever a specialist will see that could make our living experience better. It is time that specialist consultants be brought in for their high level and exclusive expertise. The school system is a great starting point. Transportation/traffic/pedestrian advancement is long, long overdue–though promised and funded in part by our Council. We sometimes lose track of the idea that broad range, integrated planning must come before zoning and particular corridor plans. Barbara Ruskin