A total of 714 Moretown residents voted to approve the Moretown Elementary roof bond, while 324 voted against the repairs. The roof repairs and replacement sits at the top of a long list of repairs needed to the school, according to board member John Smeltzer, who presented the list to the Select Board at their July 7 meeting.
The board consulted architects Dore and Whittier, who completed a roofing study in September. Following the study, the School Board determined that the proposed repairs, including heat loss mitigation and structural enforcement, will cost approximately $700,000.
The school board discussed phasing the project but ultimately decided to approach the project comprehensively, and following the voter's approval of the bond issue, school board members hope to have the project out to bid by spring.
The Harwood Athletic Field bond was voted down 3,982 to 3,496 by voters in the Harwood district towns. The bond would have gone towards upgrades to the school's outdoor athletic facilities, including significant field expansion in and around where the current baseball field is located, and push back towards the woods. The field upgrades would have also provided Harwood softball teams with a place to play.
School board chair Scott Mackey estimated that the upgrades to the athletic facilities would have cost $15 to $18 per year for residents of Valley towns and about $12 per year for Duxbury residents. Taxes are higher in the Valley because the towns send students in grades 5 through 12 instead of 7 through 12.
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