Residents in SAD 6 on Tuesday voted decisively to authorize the installation of a sprinkler system in Bonny Eagle High School.
All five towns in the District approved the referendum that would float bonds for the $500,000 needed to outfit the entire school with sprinklers.
With a total of 7,086 votes cast, 71 percent approved the referendum. The breakdown is as follows: Buxton, 1,625 yes, 562 no; Frye Island, 16 yes, 15 no; Hollis, 993 yes, 377 no; Limington, 622 yes, 401 no; Standish 1,788 yes, 687 no.
The SAD 6 Board of Directors plans to fund the project through a zero percent interest rate Revolving Renovation Fund Loan. With approximately 57 percent of the loan forgiven, the Board estimates the District’s repayment responsibility will be about $214,000.
Voters polled at the George E. Jack School in Standish felt the issue was important.
“I voted yes,” Madeleine Winterfalcon said. “It’s about fire safety. It’s a very crowded school – I worked there briefly and it’s terribly crowded.”
Richard Walker agreed, “Yes. We need the sprinkler system and we need the money.”
And Bob Ela said, “I think a sprinkler system is kind of important with people’s kids in the building.”
Although it is not presently a requirement to retrofit the entire school with the sprinklers, currently the 2004 special education wing addition is out of compliance with Standish code because it lacks the system. The school is using the wing for this year under a temporary occupancy permit from the town of Standish, with the understanding that the addition must have sprinklers by the beginning of the 2006 school year.
Because much of the work required to retrofit the entire school with sprinklers would be necessary to outfit the addition, the District believes it is appropriate to complete the work on the entire school at the same time.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
