Madison’s school utilization study, a process that began in 2014 and was finalized late last year, was designed to determine the best arrangement of schools given the number of anticipated students and the available funds and facilities. With the state budget crisis in recent months setting the “available funds” category on its ear, school officials have adjusted the plan—and are now pressing the state the make a commitment to allow plans to move ahead.

Madison public school representatives met with state officials last week to discuss the future plan for the district and the potential of state reimbursement for construction. While state officials said there is some funding available, the amount and rate of reimbursement are still uncertain.

Madison’s discussion about a long-term plan for its public school facilities began in 2014 in response to growing concerns over declining enrollment, the age of the district’s buildings, and the need to ensure the buildings could support the structural vision of the district. While a decision on the schools’ futures was postponed last May due to state budget concerns, the Board of Education (BOE) made a decision on a five-school model in October 2016.

The original five-school model would have included closing Island Avenue Elementary School and making renovations at Jeffery and Ryerson Elementary schools and some improvements at Polson Middle School. The Brown Middle School and high school would remain unchanged. Considering Governor Dannel Malloy’s proposed reduction in state aid to municipalities, the potential shift of teacher pension responsibility onto towns, and the uncertainty of reimbursement for “new” or “renovate as new” construction projects, the board is now looking to renovate just Ryerson Elementary School in the five-school model.

In this new model, Ryerson would be completely rebuilt—a move that has been deemed more fiscally responsible than just renovating. BOE Chair Jean Fitzgerald said very rough numbers suggest the gross cost of building new would be somewhere between $27- to $30 million. Cost estimates for the original five-school model came in around $51 million with a mill rate impact of 0.67 mills. After state reimbursement, estimated at 28.5 percent for projects deemed “renovate as new,” the net cost of the project was estimated at $45 million. However, reimbursement rates for renovations or new construction are currently a moving target.

To get a better handle on potential reimbursement, Fitzgerald, Superintendent of Schools Tom Scarice, and a representative from Colliers International, the BOE’s chosen project manager, sat down with members of the State Office of School Construction Grants & Review to ask questions and present the project as it stands now.

“It was a good meeting,” said Fitzgerald. “I am not sure if we got a lot more information other than there was some guarantees that money is not going to dry up; there will always be money for schools and reimbursements. They don’t know what that rate will be, but the money will be there.”

At the meeting, Madison officials discussed different elements of the project, including square footage based on enrollment, programmatic elements, and the need to completely rebuild Ryerson due to ADA compliance issues in the current structure.

The board is currently working toward a June 30 deadline for submission to the state. Board members had previously expressed concern that regulations concerning school construction and reimbursement might change in the new fiscal year, but Scarice said the state offered reassurances.

“They did reassure us that they will do everything they can to stay within the current reimbursement rates,” he said. “They obviously—for good reason—cannot guarantee anything after June 30, but up until that point these are the rules they are operating under.”

For now, Scarice said the state wants to keep in close contact with the district as the project moves forward. He said the state was complimentary of the work Madison has already put in to reach this point in the project.

“They were very cognizant that every town has its own context and what might work for one town might not work for another,” he said. “They were very respectful of the fact that we feel we have a good finger on the pulse of the community and what we felt would fit into the entire town plan, not just the school’s.”

Between now and the June 30 deadline, Scarice said there will be numerous meetings with the board as well as the Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen to discuss the project plan further.

The Whole Picture

While Ryerson will be submitted to the state as a construction project, renovations to Jeffery and Polson would possibly go into a 10-year maintenance/renovation plan.

The concept of a 10-year strategic plan, which could include everything from building additions to electrical work, is a current focus of both the BOE and the town. By identifying all of the board’s possible needs in the next decade, those projects or expenses can be worked into the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for funding consideration over a broader stretch of time. Looking at both Ryerson and Jeffery, Fitzgerald previously said it made the most sense to consider rebuilding Ryerson and incorporate improvements to Jeffery and Polson into the 10-year strategic plan.

The concept of the strategic plan was brought up at the first budget public hearing on March 22. Resident Peggy Lyons said she was not in favor of working part of the project into a 10-year plan, saying it made more sense to fund the entire project upfront.

“I think it is going to create a lot of inequity in the town between the different schools, because you are going to have this brand-new school in North Madison and then you are going to have all of the other elementary school kids sitting in a building that is going to be renovated,” she said.

Fitzgerald said she agreed with Lyon’s comments about the financial advantages, but said there are other factors at play.

“I think it is more efficient for us to do everything at once. It is more fiscally responsible in the long run,” she said. “The issue becomes if the town has the stomach for that and that is what we are trying to figure out now.”