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8 Globe North The Boston Globe THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2011 3 area towns get school building grants Lynn bike trail plans hit a bump on lease Committee member Jeanne Crai-gie, who chairs the school building committee, said of the MSBA's recent vote and the fact that the board "complimented us on the total utilization of our buildings." The Stoneham district also hopes to complete its schematic design in time for the state vote in January to help fund the project, estimated at $37.5 million to $39 million. The state building authority has tentatively set a reimbursement rate of 50.58 percent, but the town hopes to qualify for added points. If the authority approves that award, the district is tentatively seeking a Special Town Meeting vote in February to authorize the funding, and to have a ballot vote on a debt exclusion at the annual Town Meeting in April. Lowell and North Andover received their awards through the state's Green Repair Program, a one-time initiative that helps districts fund roof, window, and boiler repairs that improve energy efficiency. Lowell's funding would pay for roof replacement at the high school and the Peter W.

Reilly Elementary School, roof and window replacement at the Moody Elementary School, and roof, boiler, and window replacement at the Washington Elementary School. "These projects deal with four of our older school buildings in the city," said Jay Lang, Lowell's deputy school superintendent. "This will be a great opportunity for us to make significant repairs at these four facilities that otherwise might not have been possible." Lang said the City Council will be asked to authorize borrowing for the $6.7 million overall cost of the projects. The state is reimbursing 80 percent, or up to $4.85 million of eligible costs. North Andover would use its funding for roof replacement at the Middle and Annie L.

Sargent Elementary schools, and for new windows at the Atkinson Elementary School. The building authority is reimbursing for 47.42 percent, or up to $2.1 million in eligible costs. The district was already planning to make repairs to those facilities, said Jim Mealey its business manager. But now the cost to the town will be less and "we will get a more energy efficient product." Town Meeting last June approved $3.88 million for the projects, based on estimates then. But the price tag has since risen to $4.57 million, and a Nov.

15 Special Town Meeting will be asked to authorize the additional $693,000. percent as its reimbursement rate for eligible costs of the estimated $96.2 million project, but the district is confident it can earn points by including green design features. If the state approves funding, the town would have to approve full funding within 120 days. The district tentatively plans to seek a Special Town Meeting in February to take up the funding, and a special election that month to act on a proposed debt exclusion. The building authority board, in advancing the Stoneham project to schematic design, approved the preferred option of a feasibility study into the building needs of its 57-year-old middle school.

The middle school currently shares a campus with the Central Elementary School. The preferred option calls for the middle school to relocate to the Central School building and a proposed addition. The existing middle school building would be razed. The proposal is tied to a grade reconfiguration plan that would add the fifth grade to the sixth to eighth grade middle school. The Central school would cease operating and the other three preK-5 elementary schools would switch to preK-4.

"It was very exciting," School SCHOOLS Continued from Page 1 The state building authority has agreed to reimburse 53.32 percent, or up to $10.1 million, of eligible project costs. The award is contingent on the town authorizing full funding for the project, which requires passage of the temporary tax increase. In moving the North Reading project to schematic design, the state agency approved the alternative selected by a feasibility study for addressing the needs of the town's 56-year-old high school, which officials say is overcrowded and has multiple needs. The plan calls for renovating and constructing an addition to the middle school building and erecting a new high school on adjacent land. The addition would house common core facilities for the two schools.

The existing high school building, which currently shares the middle school campus, would be razed. "We are pleased and excited about the prospect of a new middle schoolhigh school campus being built for the students of North Reading," said School Superintendent Kathleen Willis. The district hopes to complete the schematic design in time to have the building authority board vote at its January meeting on funding the project. The authority has tentatively set 45.11 can move. "We know the possible exposures of liability, but at some point the city has to take a risk for what will be a beautiful public resource," he said.

Following the Sept. 27 Public Property Committee meeting, the council voted to create a special committee to further study the issues surrounding the proposed lease, according to Ward 2 member Richard C. Colucci, who chairs the Public Property Committee and made the motion. Lynn first outlined its objections to the draft lease in a letter that assistant city solicitor George Markopoulos sent to the MBTA on May 24. In a recent interview, Markopoulos said the city is concerned that the proposed lease would make the city liable for damages should someone be injured on the trail.

He said it would also require the city to indemnify, or exempt from liability, the for any harm resulting from soil contamination unless Lynn purchased environmental insurance. Markopoulos said a related concern is that the agreement would bar the city from testing the soil for contamination prior to entering the lease. The city also objects to the costs it would need to bear, including the purchase of environmental and required regular liability insurance and the maintenance of public safety on the trail, Markopoulos said. In a letter last May 31 responding to the city, Mark E. Boyle, the MBTA's assistant general manager for development, noted the agency had executed leases with Everett and Maiden and the T's board had directed similar leases be executed with Lynn, Revere, and Saugus.

"Although we fully understand the concerns you have raised, please note that the MBTA is willing to grant the lease rights to the city at no cost for 99 years. In return, however, the MBTA needs to be indemnified for any and all costs or acts that may arise from the Saugus branch," Boyle said. Boyle noted that Danvers, Topsfield, and Wenham had executed similar agreements with the "and those communities have either completed or initiated construction of bike paths." The effort to develop the Lynn section of a regional recreational trail faces uncertainty due to objections from city officials over the terms of a proposed MBTA lease of railroad property to the city. Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said she will not sign the agreement drafted by the MBTA in its current form because of concerns it would expose the city to potential liability and make it responsible for insurance, maintenance, and other costs. "For the great cost, I don't see an equal benefit to signing the lease.

So until the MBTA can relax its restrictions and take a little more responsibility for the conditions along the bike trail, I'm not going to put the city in the position of having each taxpayer in some small part fund that trail," said Kennedy, reiterating remarks she made at a Sept. 27 meeting of the City Council's Public Property Committee. Lynn needs to secure the lease in order to develop the Lynn section of the approximately 9-mile trail that the nonprofit Bike to the Sea is seeking to develop. The evolving Northern Strand Community Trail is intended to extend along the right-of-way of the former Saugus Branch rail line from Everett through Maiden, Revere, and Saugus to Lynn, and along a designated on-road route from the end of the right of way to Lynn Shore Drive. Everett and Maiden have signed 99-year agreements with the MBTA to lease their sections of the old Saugus branch right-of-way at no cost.

But Lynn, Revere, and Saugus have not done so, with all three communities wrestling with similar concerns. Active Lynn supporters of the trail are urging city leaders to find a way to resolve their legal and cost concerns. "Lynn needs this," said Mary Ellen Palermo. "All the other towns seem to be moving forward on this. Rather that having us as the bad area you have to avoid, we want Lynn to be a nice part of the route It's time that Lynn goes green." Councilor at Large Dan Cahill, a Public Property Committee member, is also hoping the city Sears DISCOUNTS AT THIS STORE ONLY TEWKSBURY 1 0 Main Street remodel ICmart 1 1 FIND MORE LOCAL JOBS ONLINE AT lostofi.corn monster- Mortgage Professionals I BoBSests Jobs Loan Officers receive a minimum of 200 WE STILL HAVE WASHERSDRYERS, REFRIGERATORSFREEZERS, OVENS AND MORE LIMITED TO QUANTITIES ON HAND EXCLUDING ELECTROLUX Everyone knows our name from one of the largest mortgage advertising budgets in New England.

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