By majority vote involving approval by all Republican members present on Jan. 13, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) gave the final green light to build a new, hybrid Walsh Intermediate School (WIS), by approving bonding of $88.2 million for the project.

The project has an anticipated completion date of Dec. 2019 and an expected final cost to the town, following state reimbursements, of approximately $56 million.

The RTM vote backs unanimous support for the project already demonstrated by the Board of Education (BOE) and Board of Finance (BOF). On Dec. 16, the BOE voted unanimously to select the "hybrid" school model among three types of building improvement projects proposed for WIS. On Jan. 4, the Board of Finance (BOF) voted unanimously to recommend the town take on the "hybrid" WIS project by bonding $88.2 million.

The WIS school building project now heads back to the town's Public Building Commission for oversight.