The placement of ball fields, the acquisition of additional space and possibilities for the general design layout of the proposed new K-8 school in Jefferson were some of the topics shuffled around during a meeting and public forum Jan. 12.
The Jefferson School Building Committee met with architects from Oak Point Associates to discuss the site plan for the new school. Jefferson voters approved choosing the land on which Jefferson Village School now sits for the construction of a new school in Sept. 2008.
Speaking Monday night, Oak Point President Robert Tillotson stipulated that while the site for the plan has been chosen, the design layout for the new school project is not yet set in stone.
Among the list of concerns brought up by committee members was the design of the roof. The concern over a flat roof design, which was also discussed at the Dec. 17 meeting, was dispelled somewhat by the fact that it would have a steel deck and rigid insulation.
Tillotson said the new flat roof construction would not leak. He added that the structure codes set in place following roof collapses during the 1980s have since been very stringent. School Union 132 Supt Frank Boynton said there would be some guarantees with the roof.
The architects and committee members spent a large portion of the meeting discussing the various possibilities for the design layout of the site plan. The plan includes ball fields, septic systems, parking lots, a bus turnaround and other facilities necessary for a new school.
The orientation and design of the new school could alter depending on whether or not plans to acquire two abutting properties come to fruition. Boynton said he and the architects would have to approach the state to see about the purchase of an abutting property that will soon be going on the real estate market.
Committee member Ellie Day asked if they were able to purchase the land and house, could the house be sold and moved, as opposed to demolishing the building. Tillotson affirmed that would be possible.
Pointing to one of several variations of the concept design, Tillotson said, “You can see if we had both pieces, it would give us a lot of options.”
The added space would allow the architects more room to take best advantage of the property. As it stands now, planners are considering other possibilities for the location of the school building, such as digging down into a hill and blasting through ledge to accommodate areas where the slope is steep.
The orientation of the school building and savings on energy were also topics of discussion between committee members and the architects. Tillotson said they would want to take advantage of the daylight and place the building to best suit the uses of the school.
He also said the state will pay for a wood chip boiler. If the town decides to go with geothermal heat, the state will cover less than half that cost. Geothermal heat for the school would cost the town roughly $250,000. He also said the payback over the long term is greater when heating and cooling the building using geothermal technology.
“A lot of the things we’re talking about the state wouldn’t even pay for seven or eight years ago,” Tillotson said.
The architects also want to include a solar hot water heater in the plan.
Boynton wanted to make clear that this project is likely to be the last building project for the next six years. The funding set aside by the state covers the project already on the docket, he said, and he believes this project is on a “protected list”. He added there are no more applications going to the state.
In response to the discussion around state funding for the new school building project, committee member Susan Stilwell asked Boynton if they were at risk of losing the funding.
“Is the state going to hold us hostage if the town doesn’t vote for the consolidation?” she asked.
Boynton said that since the project has been moving right along, it is unlikely that would happen. He said the further along in this process they are, the better off they will be.
There will be a public forum to discuss the building design concept on Feb. 4. The committee will then hold a straw poll vote on March 4, followed by a public hearing in May. Boynton and the architects will be meeting with the state on Jan. 14.
