Watertown Schools officials balance immediate repairs while planning for the future – Wicked Local Watertown

Dana Forsythe dforsythe@wickedlocal.com @watertowntab

Even as Watertown Public Schools officials look to maintain level services by budgeting for salaries, expanding professional development for staff and technology improvements through 2018, infrastructure costs at the Watertowns aging schools have been racking up.

Early in 2017, Interim Business Manager Mary DeLai provided the School Committee with the fiscal year 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes $642,250 for repair projects for fiscal year 2018.

Over $15 million in work needed

While that may seem like a lot to spend on needed repairs and renovations in just one year at the five Watertown Schools, its just a drop in the bucket when compared to the total needed to satisfy the immediately needed repairs at the schools over the next five years, approximately $15.3 million dollars.

Additionally, many of the repair projects scheduled for 2018, according to Interim Superintendent John Brackett, simply provide surface level repairs for ongoing issues, including the replacement of old windows, heating and ventilation work and the acquisition of emergency generators.

Over the next five years, some of the biggest expenses according to the 2018-22 Capital Improvement Plan include $1.65 million for emergency generators across the five schools, $3.6 million for new boilers at the Hosmer, Middle and High School, $600,000 for ventilation system repairs at the Cunniff, Lowell and Middle School, $225,000 for new carpets at the Lowell School, $560,000 for bathroom renovations at the Middle and High School and $8.3 million for window replacement at the High School.

Planned improvements also include $500,000 for new technology and $120,000 for updated food service equipment.

"Were tackling infrastructure issues as they pop up," Brackett said. For example, he said, the schools will be spending $52,000 next year alone to seal windows at the High School.

"Thats not for replacement," Brackett said.

Brackett said even high prority items, like new emergencygenerators, are still a year or two off due to budget constraints. For example, he pointed out, the high school, which doubles as a local emergency shelter, is without an emergency generator.

That project is budgeted out two years, in FY19 and FY20, it is expected to cost $50,000 and $500,000 respectively.

Big challenges at WHS

The high school, Brackett said, presents the biggest challenge to renovation as Watertown readies for its fourth application for a new high school with the Massachusetts School Building Authority on April 7.

According to the 2018-22 CIP, the high school needs just over $11 million in repairs over the next five years. Next year alone, Watertown officials have set aside about $360,000 to replace hot water heaters, classroom furniture and carpet and make repairs to the auditorium, roof and windows.

"The high school has the biggest need in terms of conditions," he said. "The town has done a great job of keeping the building very clean, so when you visit, you say This seems ok."

In reality, he said, the high school has moisture problems, drafty windows and when officials have peeled back layers of the onion have found mounting renovation costs.

"This year our music teacher couldnt put a row of chairs by the windows in the back of the room because it was just too cold," he said. "Were focusing on the basic systems of all of our buildings, but we have high needs."

Repair figures don't include needed technology

Those fixes, he said, arent even touching on the future of Watertown Schools as programming and classroom needs grow together. For instance, the wireless network at many of the schools is lacking in speed even as new hardware is coming in.

"Next year were expanding new Chromebook usefor the students, but the problem is that we need better wireless capacity to even use them properly," he said. "Currently, when kids are on their Internet during lunch, employees in the principals office can see a difference as the internet access slows down."

Brackett said accounting for immediate needs and planning for the future has come down to a balancing act this year.

"Were trying to fix a lot of issues while trying to plan for a possible major building project with the MSBA," he said.

According to a study by Ai3 Architects last year, also included in the most recent Master Plan, it could cost approximately $203.2 million to fully renovate and refurbish Watertowns schools, not including the Phillips School.

That number would include $29.8 million for the Cunniff, $33 million for the Lowell, $40.7 million for the Hosmer, $46.3 million for the Middle School and $53.4 million for the High School.

"That option would use a mix of renovations and reconstruction at some of the schools," Interim Director of Business Service Mary C. DeLai said.

'Lipstick on a pig'

Additionally, DeLai said, Watertown officials have carried over a $1 million for a feasibility study if the MSBA proposal is accepted.

That option, Brackett said, will remain in the air until the fall when the MSBA delivers its decision.

"Even then it would take about two years until the planning process is even started," he said.

Until then, he reiterated "were fixing problems as they occur, which is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig."

Last month, even though Watertown received re-accreditation and a large number of commendations from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges' Commission on Public Schools, group's report pointed out some areas still in need of improvement, mostly dealing with the districts facilities.

Those areas include a lack of sufficiently sized classrooms to fit all classes, a lack of teacher parking, upgrades for science labs, a sufficiently sized music room and improvements to athletic facilities.

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Watertown Schools officials balance immediate repairs while planning for the future - Wicked Local Watertown