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Bids for the possible demolition of the Lubec High School wing were opened during a special meeting of the MSAD 19 board of directors held on February 23. Six complying bids were received, ranging from a low of $144,230 from Thomas DiCenzo Inc. of Calais to a high of $304,000 from Opus Construction, located in Vermont. After discussion, the board elected to accept the bid from Morgan Construction of Pembroke, which will be presented during an upcoming special town meeting for a decision by the voters on whether or not to approve the demolition. Demolition costs are not included in the current school budget and would require a special allocation, funded by taxpayers. The date of the special town meeting has not yet been set.
While Morgan's $168,176 bid was not the lowest, board Chair Melissa Farren, in an interview, said, "We liked the fact that the bid was very specific and that it referenced the need to move the fiber optic cable." Farren also said that the board appreciated that owner Ronald Morgan was present at the meeting. "We like that it's a local company," she says. All bidders had been invited, but Morgan was the only one present.
During earlier interviews, board members expressed support for continued usage of the high school wing if the financial cost of operating the facility could be shifted away from the school board. In a recent meeting it was emphasized that soliciting bids for demolition does not mean that the board supports demolition. However, the actual cost of demolition cannot be established without following a formal procedure.
According to local resident Timothy Doyle, who has a background in construction management and met with the bidders during the inspection phase, the proposed new wall will align with the existing western wall of the library, eliminating the facility west of that line. The existing student bathrooms will be retained, as will a utility closet that includes a large electrical panel. Plans include retaining the slab beneath the facility.
In a related matter, during the regularly scheduled meeting held on February 12 the board resolved to accept a draft memorandum of agreement with the Lubec Community Outreach Center (LCOC), contingent on voter rejection of the current demolition plans. Under the terms of this agreement, the LCOC would agree to pay all utility costs, including heat, for the room located immediately west of the school library, to be used for a daycare center. The library, which would remain, is currently used by the Lubec Elementary School and also the LCOC after‑school program. Under the terms of the proposal, heat would remain turned off in the unused portions of the facility, which would remain available for future use. The agreement would allow the LCOC to lease the room for $100 monthly. Final terms of the memorandum are to be worked out between LCOC Executive Director Cathy Arrington and AOS 77 Superintendent James Underwood.
Arrington has presented the LCOC plans for a daycare center to the school board during the previous two meetings. The center, according to Arrington, is expected to be a self‑supporting operation working under the supervision of the LCOC, which would provide administrative guidance and insurance coverage and ensure compliance with state regulations. The proposed usage, observes Arrington, is "consistent with what people said they wanted the school used for" during a series of public workshops conducted four years ago. During those four workshops, suggestions were received from approximately 50 community members.
Board member Danielle Caricofe asked, "Will we be establishing a precedent by permitting a group to lease the facility for $100 per month?" Underwood replied, "No, because the board still controls who uses it. You can always say no to some other usage. The only conflict would be if another group comes in with a plan to do the same thing as the LCOC."
Other business
In other business, Principal Tina Wormell updated the board on the shift to the Smarter Balance student testing process that is expected to replace the New England Common Assessment Program. The Smarter Balance test, which is computer based, will provide faster scores but needs to be mastered by the students, Wormell said. "It has a few glitches," she said. Wormell pointed out that it is optional whether the school adopt the new program this year or put it off until next year. "This year everybody is having problems with it," she said, "so we will look as bad as everybody else." She cited e-mail messages and phone conversations with schools in other parts of the state where the same issues are creating consternation. If the school elects to hold off for a year, "everybody else will have figured out how to do it and we'll look bad."
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