A delay in permission from the state for Westbrook to borrow money to build a new middle school won’t affect the construction schedule, according to Superintendent Stan Sawyer.
Sawyer announced Tuesday that the state has delayed giving permission for the bond for the Westbrook middle school for five months, along with four other projects in the state, due to a budget shortfall in Augusta. The estimated cost for the project is currently $33.7 million, with the state paying about $26 million.
Originally, bonding for the middle school project was scheduled for May. Now, it won’t be until October.
According to David Connerty-Marin, spokesman for the Department of Education, the city will not incur any extra costs, because the state will issue a portion of the anticipated bond before construction begins, which will “tide them over until the full bond comes in,” so that the project can move forward.
Sawyer said the city has already been issued a $2.5 million bond in order to pay architect’s fees, site work, permitting fees and other preliminary expenses.
The State Board of Education was scheduled to approve the design and funding of the middle school on Wednesday, after the American Journal’s deadline.
The state board will vote on final funding in March when the exact cost will be known. Sawyer said he expects the final cost to be less than anticipated because of the “favorable construction climate in the state.”
Sawyer said the project remains “one of the school department’s highest priorities” and students are expected to be attending school there as of September 2010.
The Department of Education ranked the current Wescott Junior High as ninth on a list of priority special projects.
Residents voted in May to approve a new, $29.4 million school and to authorize $4.1 million in local spending to pay for an auditorium.
The school will be built on a 65-acre plot off Stroudwater Street, purchased from Thomas DeWolfe and Elizabeth Faye in 2006 for just under $990,000.
The design of the building, done by Harriman Associates, is considered “green” because it will use geothermal energy for climate control, which is expected to save around $90,000 a year in operating costs.
A final presentation on the design was given to the School Committee by Harriman Associates Wednesday.
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