[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 Kelly Conklin.]
To the Editor:
Southborough prides itself on being a great place to raise a family: good schools, a safe environment, and a strong sense of community. But after the defeat of the proposed new Neary school building, I find myself questioning whether the town is truly living up to that reputation.
My family moved here in 2022. And to be frank, it wasn’t for the bustling downtown or the famed transfer station. It was for the public schools and the access to the MBTA. I believed this was a town that stood firmly behind its commitment to children and education. Seeing the community reject a crucial investment in the safety and future of our schools has been both frustrating and alarming.
The Neary Building Committee (NBC) presented a well-researched, transparent, and thorough proposal. Their findings made clear what many already knew and agreed on: the current Neary building is outdated, unsafe, and unfit for modern learning. It contains asbestos. It lacks fire suppression systems. It has persistent water leaks in classrooms jokingly referred to as “the water feature room.” And yet, our students and teachers are still expected to occupy this space while the community splinters and delays real solutions.
It’s easy to be a Monday-morning quarterback and suggest different configurations or ways to shuffle students and faculty into the remaining school buildings. But I find it ironic that the loudest calls for alternatives are coming after the fact, from many who were likely absent during the months of open meetings, public forums, and transparent planning. Inaction and lack of engagement during the process helped lead us here. Now, we’re scrambling for makeshift solutions under pressure, without the benefit of time, funding, or consensus.
Based on the town meeting, it’s clear that cost was the defining concern. Like many other families with young children in town, mine is not immune to rising expenses. We’re raising kids while paying off student loans and managing a mortgage secured during the post-COVID housing spike. We feel the financial pressure every day and still, we voted yes.
Here’s what’s critical to understand: taxes will rise whether we rebuild or not. It is misleading to believe that rejecting the proposal in favor of “Plan B,” a patchwork of temporary fixes disguised as a cost-free alternative, will save money. It may appear cheaper in the short term, but it’s a textbook case of death by a thousand cuts. We now find ourselves backed into a corner, facing mounting costs to patch failing infrastructure while simultaneously walking away from $35 million in state funding.
It’s heartbreaking, but likely, we’ll still end up in the same place: higher taxes. That reality will continue to burden those on fixed incomes and stretch already struggling families. I don’t say this to be callous; I say it because we need to confront this moment with clarity and honesty. The school project is not the root cause of our financial strain. It’s a symptom of decades of deferred decisions and underinvestment.
To the supporters of a new school: I share your urgency. You’re fighting for a safe and modern space where children can learn, grow, and thrive. You see the long-term value of investing now so that Southborough remains a town families are proud to call home. You’re not asking for luxury – you’re asking for safety, equity, and a future.
To those concerned about the cost: I hear your fear. You are not against children – you’re worried about staying in your homes. You want accountability. You’ve lived through cycles of promises and patchwork repairs. You want to know that what we build won’t bankrupt us.
And the truth is: both sides are right. We are at a crossroads decades in the making. This isn’t a crisis caused by one proposal or by one committee. It’s the result of kicking cans down the road, hoping someone else will figure it out. If we want real change, we cannot leave it to a few dedicated volunteers or occasional town meetings.
We cannot blame the Neary Building Committee for the financial situation we find ourselves in. The claim that it was irresponsible of the NBC not to prepare an alternative fails to understand the MSBA’s process. They were required to submit a single preferred plan that has been vetted through a formal process. Creating multiple plans would have jeopardized the entire application and the $35 million grant. We owe them our gratitude and engagement for what comes next.
We need a culture shift in how we show up.
We need engagement on every committee – School, Select Board, Advisory, Planning, Facilities – and on every issue. Not just the ones making headlines and eliciting Facebook comments. These decisions are connected and budgets do not exist in isolation. If we only show up when the final vote is on the table, it’s already too late.
Our kids deserve safe, modern learning environments. Our educators deserve better working conditions. Our seniors on fixed-incomes and those undergoing temporary hardship deserve expanded property tax relief. And our town deserves a future not built on patchwork solutions and false economies.
Inaction comes at a cost. And this time, the price might be too high to pay.
Kelly Conklin
17 Sadie Hutt Lane
Yes, Cost was a major concern voiced at the town meeting. But that was along with a poor choice of location combined with the fact that the remaining three buildings can house our students without a new building. If a new building was actually needed, I would have voted Yes. It’s not needed.
Yes, taxes will continue to rise, particularly until we can encourage more commercial businesses in town, hopefully without needing to incentivize them with tax breaks. We’re already expecting a 20% residential tax increase across 2025-2026, but that’s just the tax rate and it ignores the real dollar increases stemming from increasing assessment values. It also ignores several other high priority projects that the town would like to perform.
Did you watch Al Hamilton’s video about how much our town will be paying each year to service our existing and planned debts. Even without New Neary, we’re already headed to statistically high levels of debt service, and that’s going to bring higher interest rates for future bond issues.
Yes, our educators deserve better working conditions, and Southborough should be doing a better job in some of the school maintenance actions. The three remaining buildings are in good shape and will serve us, our teachers and our students well for decades to come when issues are addressed promptly.
I do blame the Neary Building Committee for promoting an expensive New Neary plan even after it became clear this year that a new building is not needed, thanks to Northborough taking about 60 students back into their own facilities. We can bemoan the “wasted” investment made in pursuing the MSBA funding, but those are sunk costs and have no bearing on what we should decide. It’s never a good idea to keep to the path when you know it’s leading you the wrong direction.
From my perspective, the good news is that we already have space for all of our students in Finn, Woodward, and Trottier, so we can plan on demolishing Neary relatively soon (2027?). No major renovations needed. Frankly, the biggest cost in front of us is that demolition, itself.
While I appreciate the concerns raised about cost, debt, and long-term fiscal responsibility, I want to push back on a few key points. Not to argue for the sake of it, but to make sure the full picture is being considered.
The idea that we can simply fit all students into Finn, Woodward, and Trottier sounds simple, but it’s not. That solution glosses over serious issues like limited septic capacity, building codes, and what it means to provide age-appropriate spaces for learning. Just because there’s enough square footage “on paper” doesn’t mean it’s usable, educationally appropriate, or meets current standards. Gymnasiums, storage closets, and hallways count toward total square footage but aren’t classroom-ready spaces. Much of the square footage in older schools is inefficiently designed and cannot be repurposed without costly upgrades.
Modern education demands specialized spaces: small group rooms, special education spaces, OT/PT rooms, STEM labs, and intervention spaces. These weren’t factored into old designs. Just fitting bodies into rooms doesn’t mean students are being properly served. Equity and inclusion require space for differentiated instruction, quiet areas for neurodiverse learners, and environments that foster collaboration and innovation, not just desks in a room.
Trying to “shuffle” students into buildings not built for them sends the wrong message. It treats our schools like warehouses and our educators like babysitters. That’s not how real education works, and it’s not what Southborough with young children want.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) requires rigorous environmental due diligence. Independent experts, including engineers and state officials, signed off on the proposed site through regulated processes. No credible health authority or municipal board raised concerns about the site being unsafe for children. If they had, they would have a legal and moral obligation to act. Continuing to imply health risks without scientific evidence undermines trust in town boards, including the Board of Health.
That leads to a deeper concern. If we’ve reached the point where we ignore the guidance of engineers, public health officials, and educators, we’re in dangerous territory. The Neary Building Committee’s plan wasn’t just someone’s idea. It was based on years of analysis, community input, and a rigorous state process through the MSBA. If we start dismissing expert guidance in favor of unproven alternatives, we’re no better than the national trend of misinformation and distrust in institutions.
James, I hope you consider joining the new committee as they explore alternative options.
I agree wholeheartedly with James! My wife and I have been residents in this great town for forty two years and she has lived here for 68 years. We have enjoyed the small town feeling but has quickly been disappearing ! We raised a great son here and he still resides here with his wife! Throughout the years we have restored one of the historical homes in town and have always loved it! Now being fully retired it is getting tougher to continue to deal with the ever rising taxes! Coming from a career in the construction business the quoted price of $108 million dollars is a joke. Every project ever done has always come in 30 to 50 percent higher if not more. The Neary School does require upgrades and that is the history of this town not putting tax dollars where they are needed! Plus what James said there is plenty of space to accommodate students in all our facilities. When Trottier was built they lied about required space let’s not do that again!
Mike, I hope you consider joining the committee while they explore alternative options.
The people who showed up to vote at the Special Town Meeting on May 10th heard the arguments made by the individuals in favor of building a new grade 2 – 5 school. Hopefully, the New Neary group heard what the people who are against building a new school at this time had to say as well. There appears to be nothing new added to the discussion. Repeatedly, the community is being asked to trust that the Neary Building Committee vetted all options, and we should feel gratitude towards them for all the time, energy, and hard work that went into the process. The problem is that the process should not have come this far. Options needed to be presented and discussed, and explanations provided for not selecting them. This part of the process did not need to be in the echo-chamber of the NBC. The entire process ended up being driven by the MSBA and not the citizens of this community.
The community voted, not once, but twice, against a new Neary building. Perhaps in the not too distant future the community will change its mind. The present moment does not appear to be the right time. Maybe in three years, after the Town has new tax revenue? To use MSBA funds as an excuse misses the point. It’s like this: I’ll tell a prospective buyer of a house who has a budget to buy a $500,000 house that the family can have a $1,000,000 house because the realtor herself will chip in $250k. Therefore, it’s a deal not to be missed. The family only wants to spend $500,000 for a house, not $750K, because the family has other very important expenses, perhaps medical, familial, educational, whatever.
We have a problem in Southborough right now, a problem that is certainly not going to be resolved by one person’s opinion of how s/he thinks the community should act (and insulting the community in the process).
Diane, I hope you are able to join the new committee discussing next steps. As you said, it’s critical to have diverse opinions.
Put me firmly in Kelly’s camp here. I agree with every word of this.
In reflecting on the Special Town Meeting and vote for the “New Neary” project, it has been interesting to read and listen to the different dialogues occurring. If you listen carefully, you would realize that we are all in the same boat. Everyone wants the students of Southborough to have a great education.
Some people feel that going forward, we need a new school. Those who favor it, look at not building anything as being stagnant, and feeling that they have the students’ best interest at heart.
Others feel that going forward, we should look at what our resources are and how we can best use what we have without investing in a new school. These people are concerned about having the best education for the students as well as fiscal responsibility.
All parties, however, are very concerned about the education of the children of our community. That seems to have gotten lost in the dialogue of new school vs. existing schools. I have not heard any rhetoric regarding anyone NOT caring about the actual education of the students in Southborough. Quite the opposite.
We need to ask ourselves, what is education and how is it best to serve this community? Students are not taught by a building, but by the teachers and staff that put in the work every day. The building should absolutely be safe, accessible and in good working order.
Since there already exists enough space for all of the students, why are we still entertaining this proposition? Finn School does need some upgrades, but if decommissioned as a school, it would need even more work. Taking care of the buildings is a responsibility of the town and taking Finn off the table as a viable school is irresponsible. It is the only one level school in Town, making it the safest place for our youngest students.
We have heard that putting grades 5-8 together would somehow be harmful, however, there are many districts that have that model and make it work because the people in the building make sure that it does. It’s time to give teachers credit in being able to manage change, as we manage it frequently in education when curricula changes, staff changes and surroundings change. Having been a teacher for 38 years, flexibility is the middle name of most teachers.
This actually has less of an impact on shuffling kids around than the NBC plan. The youngest students would be in an appropriate space, Woodward would be able to have grades 3-4, instead of 2-3, and Trottier would be 5-8, instead of 6-8. It is the least disruptive, actually!
Please remember, we are neighbors. Yes, there are differing opinions, but all with the same goal: a great education for the students of Southborough. The Town has spoken twice. It’s time to move on and come up with a plan that is viable for the students and people of Southborough. Yes, we will not get state money to renovate a building, but it is our responsibility to upkeep our buildings. Repurposing the schools would, of course, cost even more than a renovation for whatever the building needs to last as a school for many years.
If/when the time comes and the school population increases significantly, that is the time to reassess the issue. In fairness to the NBC, when they began this process, they did not know that the Northborough preschool students would be leaving Finn School. This has opened up enough space for the existing 3 schools to work.
Action must be thoughtful, especially when considering the education of all children.