BIDDEFORD — Most who spoke at a public hearing Tuesday about a proposed $34 million bond referendum to renovate Biddeford High School urged residents to vote yes at the Nov. 3 election.
Voting yes would increase the tax rate by approximately 93 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or about $186 more on the tax bill of a home assessed at $200,000.
Resident Carl Poirier told City Council on Tuesday he was pleased members voted to put the referendum on the ballot and allow residents to decide whether or not they want to pay to renovate the high school.
Ryan Fecteau, a senior at BHS and a student representative on the School Committee, read comments from others who spoke about the many problems at the high school and the need for renovation.
“I ask that you vote yes for the greatest investment the city can make,” said Fecteau.
Even residents who are against the bond say they believe that the high school needs renovation.
However, as resident Ronald Peaker said, “the bond issue is strictly about the taxpayers’ ability to come up with $34 million. That’s the whole issue.”
Peaker also took issue with the argument that the renovation is important to the high school’s accreditation status with the New England Association of Schools & Colleges.
He quoted a letter he received from Pamela Gray-Bennett, a director with the accreditation organization, which states, “Biddeford High School is fully accredited and is not at risk of losing its accreditation.”
Peaker did not read the rest of the letter, in which Gray-Bennett states that the organization’s Commission on Public Secondary Schools “has been monitoring the school’s progress addressing facilities deficiencies since 2005” and the commission expects that identified concerns will be addressed in a reasonable period of time.
Failure to make reasonable progress could prompt the commission to put the school on probation, wrote Gray-Bennett, which could lead to termination of accreditation if concerns identified by the commission are not resolved.
BHS is on warning status regarding its accreditation.
Superintendent of Schools Sarah-Jane Poli said there are Maine schools which have been put on probation by the accreditation organization and the reason in most cases is the physical condition of the schools.
The proposed $34 million renovation would include, among other things, bringing the school up to current code requirements, energy efficiencies and a two-story addition that provides a new main entrance with secured entry to the school and a new library.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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