The fate of an $85 million borrowing plan for rebuilding South Portland High School is officially in the hands of voters.
The South Portland City Council voted 5-2 by roll call Monday night to send the plan for repairing and expanding the city’s only high school to a referendum vote on Nov. 6. The plan for updating and expanding the high school is the most expensive school renovation project in South Portland history. The project’s architects say that poor drainage conditions and ledge at the Highland Avenue campus contribute to costs.
Whether the project should move forward – or whether there is a less costly alternative – is certain to spur intense public debate as balloting time nears.
The bond ordinance asks voters to spend $56 million on the construction project, with an additional $29 million in interest fees over 20 years. When money is borrowed by issuing bonds, taxpayers must repay the principal as well as interest.
At Monday’s council meeting, last-minute arguments by councilors Kay Loring and Linda Boudreau that the city and taxpayers cannot afford the debt failed to stop a majority of councilors from sending the proposal to voters.
“The price tag is astronomical,” Loring said before casting a “no” vote.
Loring noted that the cost for this single project is more than double the city’s current total debt of $36 million.
Boudreau joined Loring in her dissent, also voicing concern about the city’s fiscal stability if the school project wins final approval.
Boudreau noted that she reversed her earlier support for the school project after reviewing the city’s long-term goals for capital spending. She urged the council to focus on prioritizing capital projects and delay the school plan for a year.
Although the other councilors shared concerns about the costs to rebuild the high school, most said they felt an obligation to let the public have the final say.
“The citizens of South Portland should have ample opportunity to debate and decide a plan of this magnitude,” Councilor Jim Soule said prior to casting an affirmative vote.
The other councilors who voted “yes” were Maxine Beecher, Ralph Baxter, Claude Morgan and Jim Hughes.
“Discussion of this investment belongs in the public domain,” added Morgan, who is mayor. “It is our responsibility to communicate ideas (about the project). But the final decision is the public’s responsibility.”
Members of the public also were invited to speak prior to the roll call vote. But only a few chose to stand up and make their views known. Dave Bourke, a South Portland resident for 10 years, pleaded with the council to explore other options.
As an example, Bourke said he favors developing a new high school on the site of the city’s only municipal golf course, located off Broadway near the Maine Mall.
Bourke said there are plenty of other golf courses in Greater Portland. “I would argue that this would be much better use of the land, and why are we in the golf course business, if there are many other fine courses in the area?”
Bourke also suggested that the school district consider making Mahoney Middle School the high school, arguing that it is in much better condition. “Mahoney could easily be adapted at a very reasonable cost,” Bourke said.
Memorial Middle School then could be rebuilt to educate all the city’s middle-school students, he said.
Project architect Dan Cecil then rose to present a counter argument, saying he wanted to clarify information about the project.
He said Mahoney Middle School cannot accommodate the projected population of high school students. The middle school is on 3.7 acres, he said, while the high school campus is 29 acres. “The site simply is not large enough,” Cecil said.
He also cautioned the city council about considering the 31-acre golf course as the site for a school. He said building a brand new school on a new site is likely to cost more than fixing and rebuilding the existing high school. Cecil also urged the city to preserve its remaining open space, whether it is a golf course or park.
“It makes sense to reinvest in your high school and breathe another 75 years of life into it,” Cecil told the council.
But Loring persisted in questioning whether the current site of South Portland High School is the best location for the future. She said the level of site work required is alarming.
A key component of the renovation is to install underground water retention systems and drainage pipes for redirecting storm water away from school buildings. Water now collects at the site from neighboring subdivisions. School buildings have standing water in some areas, and there is water damage on floors and walls.
“This is the poorest piece of property to put $85 million into,” Loring said.
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