Burgess Elementary School - Point #2 of My 7-Point Plan for the First 12 Months

2) Burgess Elementary School

It is no secret that we have one of the finest educational systems in the area. One lays witness daily to the remarkably talented youth that grace our community. This is certainly no accident and stems from the selfless sacrifices of parents and educators. Our children represent our future and the foundation that we lay for them is in effect the foundation that we lay for the future prosperity of our community.

Unfortunately, our children and teachers at the Burgess School find themselves in less than ideal conditions that will only continue to deteriorate. We must endeavor to identify and prioritize resources with which to facilitate the construction of a facility that is more conducive to our children’s needs.

Current estimates on the Burgess School are approximately $42 million, with the state thus far proposing to cover a minimum of 51% of those costs. In balancing the return on investment and the necessity of such an endeavor, we would do well to recognize the difference between spending and investing.

As I’ve previously stated, the future prosperity of a community (financial, social, and historical) is directly linked to the investment it makes in its youth and its educational system. Investing in a new elementary school for our children, will reap significant rewards in terms of the desirability for businesses and residents to locate/relocate in the area.

World class businesses recognize the value of locating in desirable communities, which invest in their youth and seniors. Potential employees and residents associated with those businesses fully understand and prioritize the educational and social needs of their children and senior family members.

As your selectman, I am committed to promoting the renovation/reconstruction of a new elementary school at every appropriate opportunity, be it locally or if necessary at the state level.

Simultaneously, working with the Board and members of the School Committee, I will encourage and pursue as much public discussion as necessary in order to ensure that residents are provided with the very best information possible with which to make an informed decision.

Clearly, we face significant hurdles in terms of financing such a project. The tax burdens of a new Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Town Hall/Center School project, as well as securing the funds needed for capping cell number 2 at the landfill as well as estimated fund shortages in the road improvement program will challenge our ability to fund a new school.

We would do well however to recognize the opportunity before us in terms of the state share of this project. If we are unwilling to proceed with the construction of a new school and take advantage of the state funding this year, the probability of securing such in the future will be most certainly be lost as other communities who are ready to proceed will be prioritized ahead of us. This would be a tragic loss for our children and our community.

It is critical that we maintain a strong commitment to this project and thus identify and prioritize the use of local taxpayer money in a manner that ensures available tax revenues with which to proceed. This will require careful scrutiny of all funding requests and in fact some difficult and perhaps unpopular decisions by our elected officials, in order to ensure that we do not jeopardize our ability to fund a new school.

Though I have no children or grandchildren who will benefit from the construction of a new school, I do live here and fully recognize the incredible return on investment that a new school will bring in terms of providing a more suitable environment for the mentoring of young minds. The social and financial benefits of such are enormous and of positive consequence to every single resident.