Letter: What Is “Plan B”?

[Ed note: My Southborough accepts signed letters to the editor submitted by Southborough residents. Letters may be emailed to mysouthborough@gmail.com.

The following letter is from Patricia Burns Fiore.]

To the Editor:

Thanks to all who have opined on the Neary “Plan B,” or what I would more aptly call a “Neary Alternative.” Many have asked what a NO vote means. It means we can take a serious look at alternative options for schools, options that balance education quality and fiscal responsibility for today and our future.

Given the degree of misinformation, misunderstanding, and misrepresentation that has been posted and discussed regarding what the Neary Alternative is and is not, I feel it necessary to set the record straight with an accurate presentation of how a thoughtful group of concerned residents arrived at this option as a potential alternative to the $108.5 million 4-grade Neary School being voted on May 10th (and May 13th).

1. Earlier this year, Kathy Cook, chair of the NBC Finance subcommittee, was asked a simple question: “What happens if the Neary School proposal does not pass at the town meeting?” Her response made me pause: “We don’t have a backup option. There is no Plan B.

Just take a second to let that sink in. The committee had no preparation for the scenario in which the vote failed.

After spending several years and hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money on this process, it appears that the NBC has not developed a substantive alternative should the votes go against a four-grade school. The NBC may (and likely will) try to take another bite at the apple if the vote fails, but nonetheless, there is no available alternative on the table at this point. All their eggs are in one basket.

2. I think we can all agree, the current Neary School building situation needs improvement. After Ms. Cook’s answer, and as a concerned resident who values education, our teachers, and our schools as much as anyone else, I began asking friends and neighbors what they thought about this enormous decision the town would be making.

I spoke with many other Southborough residents, including current and retired teachers, and discussed potential Neary Alternatives to the proposed plan. For reference, the Neary Building Committee’s data (submitted to the state as part of this process) indicates Southborough is projected to have a flat to declining school-age pre/K-8 population over the next decade.

Someone who works with the schools asked: Why couldn’t we rearrange the grades into the current school buildings (without Neary)? Trottier, at 130,000 sf is the largest school and underutilized with only three grades. (In fact, the proposed new school, with four grades, is only 99,564 sf – 30% smaller than Trottier). In addition, knowing that Northborough preK was leaving and a variety of classrooms are also underutilized, we started to think there needed to be an “opt out,” an alternative… a “Plan B.”

3. We used all the data from NBC studies, added in the actual enrollments as supplied to the state, and it does indeed appear that Southborough has capacity within the current school buildings to accommodate the entire preK-8 student population, with some room to spare. (The only non-addition/renovation or new build option considered by NBC, put three grades at Woodward, and this won’t work according to the septic capacity and occupancy permit.) In fact, with the new school we end up with so much extra space, they want to decommission the 76,000 sf Finn school, which was specifically designed for our youngest learners.

Further in our consideration were the domino ancillary costs, the site location near an old landfill, concerns about the federal chaos, tariffs/prices, and the overall fiscal responsibility of the new school plan.

4. Some have said that “Plan B” aka Neary Alternative is NOT a plan. And to be clear, the options suggested need further planning and study, BUT it is a concept that IS WORTHY of thoughtful and respectful consideration as an alternative that does NOT cost $108.5 million (which BTW is only the NBC’s current estimated and could grow significantly when it is put out to bid).

The alternative also does not add massive debt that will burden our town and residents for the next 30+ years and potentially steer us away from necessary projects and maintenance throughout the town, in favor of the desire for a new school.

5. A critical point that seems to be obfuscated by the NBC, whether intentional or not, is the follow-on impact and costs of repurposing the other buildings around town, including Finn school. The NBC’s view on the broader picture is that “they are only looking at the costs of the school,” and any other cost considerations are the Select Board’s purview. However, as taxpayers, we cannot just look at the financial burden of the school in isolation. To be clear, the costs of a new Neary school don’t end with building the school. We must demand clarity from the Select Board on the total costs of the broader Southborough facility restructuring.

We have great schools – and it is the teachers, administrators, students and community that make them great. There are other options for the Neary School situation – Let’s prioritize practical solutions, financial responsibility, and the health and well-being of our community.

Life is full of choices between wants and necessities. All of us, as responsible citizens and tax-payers, should be asking ourselves: Why would we spend $108.5 million on a school we don’t need?

Patricia Burns Fiore
10 Winter Street