Tisbury voters approved a $55 million renovation and addition project during a special town meeting Sunday.
In a 237-5 vote, voters approved a plan to borrow $55 million over 30 years through a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to pay for the project — $53 million for the actual construction and the rest to help pay for temporary classrooms on town-owned land on Spring Street.
The vote was taken under a tent within a golf shot of the existing Tisbury School and children could be seen and heard playing on the nearby basketball courts. There was applause from the voters and some hugs as town moderator Deborah Medders read the results.
The project must now win support on the town ballot Tuesday, June 22, at the town’s Emergency Services Facility. There will also be an early voting day on June 17 at the same location.
Town leaders acknowledged the hefty price tag, while vowing to seek state and federal grants, as well as accepting private donations for the project to offset the impact on property owners and even exploring ways for seniors to work off their tax obligations by doing some work for the town.
According to numbers provided by finance director Jon Snyder, the project would increase taxes 10 percent on average and on a property valued at $680,000 — the town’s median property value — that would mean $628 per year.
This is the second time voters have been asked to do something about the crumbling infrastructure known as Tisbury School. The 1929 building is showing its age and has had issues with lead and asbestos. The renovation and addition project would take the building down to its studs with all heating and ventilation, as well as wiring, replaced, building committee chair Harold Chapdelaine told voters in a detailed walk through the proposal.
Voters rejected a less expensive project that would have torn down the existing building and replaced it with a new Tisbury School. That project, despite having a state grant that would have contributed $14 million, lost by 21 votes in 2018 and was seen as a mandate to keep the existing building.
Wiet Bacheller, a retired Tisbury School teacher, said she’s scared that there will be a repeat of what happened in 2018 — the school wins at town meeting and then loses at the ballot box. “I am scared to death that on June 23..,” Bacheller said before being interrupted by someone who said the election is on June 22. Bacheller continued: “On June 23 I wake up and a nightmare occurred. So please vote yes. I’ll get you there if you don’t have a car. I’ll make you egg rolls for ‘Yes’.”
Select board member Jeff Kristal said town leaders have let the children down by not providing a better environment for education. He called the last vote one of the town’s most divisive issues.
“To heal together, to rebuild our trust in one another, while we rebuild we rebuild a new school together,” he said.
During his presentation, select board chair Jim Rogers called the school building the “cornerstone of Tisbury history.”
Amy Houghton, chair of the Tisbury School Committee, talked about the collaboration between her board and the select board on the project. “It develops a community center we can all be proud of,” she said of the renovation and addition proposed.
As John Custer, principal of Tisbury School, spoke about the need he appeared to get emotional. His comments were met by applause, some of the voters standing to recognize his efforts to keep the school’s positive vibe under difficult conditions. “I believe there is no more important building in a town than its school,” he said, calling it a “tremendous and wonderful responsibility” to oversee the school community.
The town’s presentation on the project took an hour of the two-hour special town meeting. At the end several voters yelled, “Vote.” But Medders allowed speakers for the next hour, though she wouldn’t allow them to stray from the scope of the article asking them to stick to the finances and the educational plan. Questions about the design flaws were quickly gaveled out of order by Medders.
Voter Lilian Robinson, who serves on the town’s conservation commission, rose several times to ask questions and offer her concerns about the project.
Later when voter Peter Sham called for the vote, Medders refused to take a vote on his motion and continued to allow further comment.
Most of those speakers were emphatically in favor of the project.
“I do like the design,” Peter Goodale said. “The price is going to keep going up. Next time it’s going to be $100 million. Inflation is hitting hard now.”
Ana Cotton, who has a child in the school and one approaching school age, said it’s possible the school could have a detrimental effect on real estate values if something isn’t done. “I don’t know if schools can be condemned, but I wonder if this one would be.”
Trip Barnes, a town representative to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, got cheers when he said: “It’s going to be very expensive, but you know what? I don’t care. Let’s build a god damned school now.”
Voters were clearly there to vote yes. Several speakers acknowledged the hard part is now translating that into a win at the polls where the project only has to win by a simple majority rather than the two-thirds that was required at town meeting.
“I want this school renovation and restoration to go forward,” voter Jean Hay said. “We’re not hearing from the people who may not be in favor of this.”
This is only the first step. This must be voted on the ballot to go into effect. There are two dates to vote. 1) Early Voting date Thursday 6/17 8:30 – 4:30; 2) Annual Town Election date Tuesday 6/22 noon – 4:30. Location: Emergency Services Facility. Please come out and vote to support this necessary Tisbury school renovation project. If we wait any longer, it will only become far more expensive.
Correction to my post re voting date Tuesday 6/22 – time is Noon to 8pm.
Why is the Times reporting that there will be early voting only on the 19th, when it was clearly stated that early voting starts the 17th and continues up to the voting day on the 22nd? We were all there and it was clearly stated.
It was a typo. Thanks, it’s been corrected.
My understanding, per employee at Town Clerk’s office and on the Town website, is early voting is only one day – Thursday 6/17 from 8:30 to 4:30. But check with the Town to confirm. It’s unfortunate to have confusion for this important vote.
Per the Town website, and Town employee, early voting is only one day, Thursday 6/17. Check with the Town to confirm.
Gotcha, maybe it wasn’t as clearly stated as I thought, lol.
Ezra – it wasn’t clear to me either so double checked. But didn’t intend to double post the info – a novice at posting so overdid it. Lol.
Most of the year round population is not wealthy and particularly those who live in Tisbury. The elites who pay property taxes live in Edgartown and Chilmark and not largely in Tisbury. The poor working stiffs who can barely afford to live here will pay an extra 650 bucks per year for 30 years. Creativity in teaching our kids with another formulation wont happen because someone else will pay and no incentive for entrepreurship.
WHY? Haven’t we voted against this school project enough times? There are hundreds of schools in Massachusetts older than this one being used.Perhaps it should of been taken care of better over it’s lifetime. Like our fire station!!!!
Sue, there are plenty of older schools in Massachusetts, though most of them probably not older than the ninety-two year old Tisbury School, but that doesn’t justify the fact that the students and staff of the school deserve a better teaching and learning environment. As a former student of the school, I can testify to the ever present leaks in the roof and pipes, layers of lead-filled paint chipping from the walls, and heating system that worked too well in some rooms and not enough in others. As a current Junior at MVRHS I also experienced Tisbury’s 4 month-long stay in the halls of the high school, something that everyone has seemed to forget about, so I can tell you with utmost certainty that if this project is passed, it will be more beneficial to future Tisbury School students and teachers than you could ever imagine. Please put into consideration the impact your vote could have on future residents of Tisbury when at the ballot box on June 22nd.
“As a former student of the school, I can testify to the ever present leaks in the roof and pipes, layers of lead-filled paint chipping from the walls, and heating system that worked too well in some rooms and not enough in others. ”
Yes, really a shame that basic maintenance was not carried out on the lovely old building.
Was maintenance of the plant the responsibility of the School Committee?
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