Greenwich HS MISA Project Up for Vote

The fate of the proposed music classroom and auditorium (MISA) project for Greenwich High School could be decided Wednesday night as the Board of Estimate and Taxation is scheduled to vote on whether to spend an additional $8.6 million on the project.

The 12-member board is to hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. The meeting follows a special meeting of the BET Budget Committee April 18 in which members cast party line votes with the two Republicans—Committee Chair Joseph Pellegrino and Leslie Tarkington voting against the additional appropriation. Democrats William Finger and Jeffrey Ramer supported the extra financing.

The tie vote came after a presentation by Greenwich Board of Education Chair Leslie Moriarty and MISA Building Committee Chair Joe Rossi reiterated the board's and committee's desire to retain the original design for the additional classroom space and a 1,325-seat auditorium with an orchestra pit and balcony. Based upon the bids received by the school district, the entire project is now expected to cost $42,420,000 or about $14 million more than the originally projected cost of $28 million. (That price does not include the cleanup of contaminated soil found the high school campus during the preliminary construction that began in 2011.)

"We looked at three different alternatives—removing the orchestra pit, removing the balcony and classrooms. It was unanimous to not change the project…to do it correctly and to try and not cut corners to save a few dollars," Moriarty said. 

Pellegrino questioned how much a larger facility—including an orchestra pit with a hydraulic lift—would be used, and whether it could be scaled down or the auditorium moved to a different location of the building.

Moriarty said, "We’re limited … there is no design shop, no fly shop. The choral group is uses the auditorium for rehearsals. They are necessary components to the theater and music components we offer."

Moriarty also said the committee spoke with school officials from throughout the region and that it was apparent that many districts regretted not including hydraulic lifts in their plans. "A hydraulic lift increases the flexibility available.  Without the hydraulic lift we would not get full benefits of what we could do with that auditorium," Moriarty said.

Ross said that the entire project would have to be rebid if plans were substantially altered and key elements were eliminated.

Moriarty added, "Nobody wants to see this price tag where it is and wants it where it is. When you change one factor, there is a ripple effect...if you change one piece, all of the sudden the rest of the project goes way." She concluded, "It’s going to be a good looking space. To get what the students need and what the community needs, this is the project."

Following their presentation, Pellegrino was critical of the education board and the building committee. "I would hope that the Board of Education would be flexible and tell us what your priorities are," Pellegrino said. He said the town must prioritize capital projects and that it faces several pending projects including construction of a ninth fire house for the northwest section of town, Project Renew at the town's nursing home, The Nathaniel Witherell, and an expected 20 percent increase in town employee health care costs.

He said, "When I turn to the Board of Education, I see many issues on their agenda ... you have digital learning at $17.5 million, unknown costs for racial balance, space utilization, the SRO (school resource officer) ... the common core curriculum." Pellegrino continued, "I asked for a comprehensive list of priorities ...  it has not been answered by your board. This is could be the game changer for our school system ... but throwing up to us 'I need another $43 million is not the right way to compromise."

Finger responded, "It is very, very unfair to say the Board of Education hasn't cooperated with us. The board of ed has absorbed cuts. It is very unfair to characterize them as not cooperating." 

Finger continued, " ….I don’t understand where you can say this is game changer to the school system by not giving us alternatives…there aren’t a whole lot of options with the hand of cards dealt to us." He added, "I don’t like the tenor of you versus the town. Don’t put the burden on them on playing ball with with us."

Ramer predicted, " The moment the BET votes down this project, it will never be heard of again."

If the $8.7 million additional appropriation is approved tonight by the six Republicans and six Democrats, the plan will then be forwarded to the Representative Town Meeting which is reviewing the proposed 2013-14 budget. It is scheduled to vote on the budget at its May 13 meeting.