Willard School Committee Disbands

With the opening of the all-new Willard elementary school on Powder Mill Road, the building committee that oversaw construction was dissolved by the selectmen this week.

Pet Nelson and Jerry Wedge gave their final report on Monday before the vote to dissolve "with thanks" said Selectman Elise Woodward.

"We are closing out an incredible project," said Nelson.

The program started at the 2006 Town Meeting with a vote for design funds, and the following year, a vote for construction money.

Nelson said one key aspect was the closeness with which the town "followed" the guidelines of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or MSBA, which did not provide reimbursement, but which may now add the school to its long list of projects to partially fund.

"We hope by intentionally following the MSBA that we can bring money back to the town," said Nelson.

From the outset, she said, the project emphasized sustainable design, and involved the adhoc "Green Team," a group of local architects that advised the building committee on sustainable systems and materials for the K-5 school.

The Office of Michael Rosenfeld was the architect. The office is known for its "green" design.

Wedge said the $27.4 million school was funded by tax-payers since the MSBA was in the midst of a moratorium on reimbursing towns for new schools. The town has since sent letters of interest, but Wedge said "it is not clear we will rise to the top of the list, but we are hopeful."

He said the hope is that the state will use Willard as a "model school," for which the town was encouraged to apply, and which would translate into some reimbursement.

In any case, the green design elements "bode well for the high school," Wedge said, in designing energy systems that lower costs. Concord-Carlisle Regional High School is in the beginning stages of new design following the approval of a $1.5 million debt exclusion for a feasibility study.

Wedge said the cost of running Willard now is the same as powering the older, smaller building. He said Willard costs 35 percent less than Alcott or Thoreau, the other two elementary schools that were rebuilt in the last several years.

"It was a very satisfying five years," said Nelson.