Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

February 26

Panel trims school renovation plan

MELANIE CREAMER

— By

Staff Writer

SOUTH PORTLAND — A city committee presented a $41.9 million renovation plan for South Portland High School to the school board Monday, a 25 percent decrease from the $56 million plan that residents rejected in 2007.

The renovation plan includes energy efficiencies such as solar panels to heat the school's water, and low-flow fixtures to control the amount of water used. It also calls for code upgrades, improvements to educational programs, and solutions to the school's accreditation status, which is in jeopardy.

''We did a lot of soul-searching,'' said Kathryn Germani, a member of the Secondary Schools Facilities Committee. ''We looked at this project again with two things in mind: reducing costs and putting forward a plan that meets the needs of the city and its students now and in the future.''

The committee has worked on the renovation plan for the past five years. The $56 million plan called for an artificial turf sports field, a second gymnasium and 29,000 square feet of additional space, including four classrooms.

Board of Education Vice Chairman Ralph Baxter, who also serves on the facilities committee, said those extras were dropped to reduce costs.

''It's simply a good plan,'' Baxter said in an interview. ''We worked really hard redeveloping the plan based on the information we got from the community. It will be good for learning because of the way the building is laid out.''

The plan includes upgrades to the school's security system, a community room, a reconfigured cafeteria and 100 additional parking spaces.

Ellen Benson, a committee member, said the plan will benefit students and the community.

''An upgraded facility will increase real estate values,'' she told the board. ''We want to make South Portland a desirable place to live.''

The board didn't vote on the renovation project. The City Council must decide whether it will go to the voters, Baxter said. A meeting to present the plan to city councilors has not been set.

The committee planned to give its final recommendation in a workshop on Jan. 28 with the City Council and the school board. That meeting was canceled after the release of preliminary figures indicating a $1.6 million reduction in state aid to South Portland.

In a letter last week, Superintendent Suzanne Godin said the subsidy projections will likely mean a reduction of 30 to 50 positions, larger classes and other cost-saving measures.

On Jan. 26, the school board unofficially dropped its plan to bring the renovation bond to voters in June. Board member Richard Carter said during the meeting that nothing was off the table.

Baxter said that if the council approves the renovation plan and voters approve a bond in June, the city will have to make a nearly $3 million payment in 2013. Some school board members expressed concerns about having the money to make that payment.

''It's bad timing,'' Baxter said before the meeting. ''It's hard to be cutting positions and to be adding to a school at the same time. It doesn't pass a straight-face test. It's a matter of setting priorities and being responsible about the budget. Right now, the two are working against each other.''

Greg L'Heureux, the city's finance director, said there would be no reason to borrow the entire amount up front. He could not say how much the city would contribute to the cost of the project.

Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.com