Building committee makeup discussed

The Edgartown select board committed to supplying names for a Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School building committee, but said an Oct. 31 deadline may be unrealistic.

The select board heard a report from Sam Hart, coordinator of special projects for MVRHS, that the high school committee would like recommendations from the town for members on what’s slated to be a 12-member committee.

The building committee is another step in the Massachusetts School Building Authority process. 

Select board member Arthur Smadbeck said he’d like to see two members of the committee representing Edgartown’s interests on the committee. “This committee is going to be extremely important, extremely important to the project,” Smadbeck said. 

Noting that the project could be upwards of $200 million, he added, “Getting it right and getting the right people is going to be important.”

Select board chair Margaret Serpa said that whoever is chosen is going to need to “commit a lot of time to this, and we need to have them agree to that.”

Smadbeck said the school committee should play a key role in deciding who serves.
Town administrator James Hagerty suggested advertising for it, without giving any specific qualifications, and then forward the candidates on to the school committee for their consideration.

Lou Paciello, the town’s representative to the regional committee, called the deadline “a little uncomfortable.”

Hart started off the conversation saying that Superintendent Richie Smith is seeking an extension of the deadline. The regional school committee will ultimately pick the membership of the building committee, he said.

If he doesn’t get that extension, Smadbeck said, it might need to go forward with placeholders.

Paulo DeOliveira was the one member of the public to speak. “I would love to see a representative of the Brazilian community,” he said before quickly adding, “I’m not volunteering myself.”