BRUNSWICK

The Brunswick Town Council has approved an ordinance authorizing a loan for critical repairs at Coffin Elementary and Brunswick Junior High schools.

The money, to be made available through the Maine Department of Education revolving renovation fund, will not be a cure-all for the aging schools, but will provide interest-free loans with a percentage forgiven, thus taking some of the burden of future repairs off the backs of taxpayers.

The total amount to be borrowed is about $1.5 million, and will fund the most critical repairs pertaining to health and safety, as well as Americans with Disabilities Act compliance accommodations.

Repairs at Coffin would be paid through a $517,664 loan, with nearly $200,000 forgiven and an interest-free repayment over the next five to 10 years.

Junior high school repairs would be paid through a $1 million loan, with $384,100 for- given and an interest-free repayment of $615,900 over 10 years.

Work at the schools would address, among other issues, sprinkler systems, air quality improvements, ADA compliance, asbestos abatement and roof repairs.

Brunswick School Department Business Manager Jim Oikle told the council that the repairs are not anything that will “make the school prettier.”

However, Councilor Kathy Wilson questioned the wisdom of spending on repairs if there is a possibility of new construction on the horizon. Wilson and Councilor Jane Millett told School Board Chairman William Thompson they thought a new construction plan would include the demolition of Coffin School.

However, according to Thompson, Coffin’s fate will be determined at a later date.

If anything, the now-defunct Jordan Acres School, which costs $11,000 a year to maintain, would be razed. He reiterated that the cost of demolishing Coffin School was never factored into any of the options now on the table.

Thompson noted that buildings that housed the former Hawthorne and Union Street schools are still utilized by the school district. Thompson said that if the buildings were to be repurposed, they would still have to be made ADA compliant.

Thompson noted that the earliest a new school could be open would be in 2020, leaving at least four years of Coffin School operating without addressing critical safety needs.

“I think it’s imperative that we get the money to make those minor changes that need to be made for life-safety reasons,” Thompson told the council.

Councilor Dave Watson agreed, saying although he would rather see both Coffin and the junior high razed in favor of new construction, delaying safety improvements for a possible new school down the road is counterproductive.

“They have to be used and they have to be safe — it’s that simple. Right now, they’re being used and on appearance, they’re not safe. Now is the time to act,” Watson said.

Deadline for the loan application is July 31 and work is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2017, with the first payment on the loan due in July 2017. The summer work may affect any summer programs that operate in either building.

Because the work is slated to begin this summer, the council suspended its rule to wait until their April 4 meeting to vote on final approval. Concerns were raised about contractors filling their summer schedules as early as April and how a lack of bids may translate into higher construction costs.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com

Brunswick fix

• REPAIRS AT COFFIN would be paid through a $517,664 loan, with nearly $200,000 forgiven and an interest-free repayment over the next five to 10 years.

• JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL repairs would be paid through a $1 million loan, with $384,100 forgiven and an interest-free repayment of $615,900 over 10 years.

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