Duxbury school officials presented a comprehensive and costly capital plan for fiscal year 2027, centered on a $1.75 million request for a feasibility study for the Alden School. Superintendent Danielle Klingaman explained that the district has been accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) eligibility pipeline, a critical step for securing state reimbursement for school construction. Klingaman told the committee, We’re hoping to be able to have that funded through capital funds if possible so that we don’t have to enter into a debt exclusion where we would be asking the taxpayers to raise their taxes for this feasibility study. Alexander Chin opened the discussion by inquiring about the status of existing school programs, asking, How’s the curriculum implementation going? regarding the new literacy program. Klingaman noted it was going well but emphasized that the aging infrastructure of the buildings remains a pressing concern.

John Lemieux, Chair of the Alden School Building Committee, walked the advisors through the rigorous 18-to-24-month feasibility process. He noted that the MSBA locks in a reimbursement rate, currently 38.76% for Duxbury, but requires a massive amount of preliminary data. This is not an ask for that second phase. It’s the required answering of questions and process to get you to a point where the community comes together and says this is our preferred solution, Lemieux stated. Karen E. Barry questioned the potential for cost savings through standardized plans, asking, Can MSBA count from a number of set designs? Lemieux explained the "model school" concept, noting that while it can save on design fees, the district is still far from making that specific decision. Candace Martin sought clarity on the maintenance history of current structures, asking, What percentage of the roofing has been replaced? while voicing concerns about prioritizing various roof sections across the campus.

The committee also reviewed significant technological and facility needs, including a $400,000 request for a staff laptop refresh. Chief Technology Officer Mike Woodford warned that the current fleet is six years old and reaching the end of its supported life, stating, Our computers are not functioning the way they should, which is impacting instruction in the classroom on a daily basis. Bethann R. Halligan questioned the long-term support for the new hardware, asking, Does those come with service as well? while Ling Wong inquired about the durability of the equipment, asking, What’s the typical warranty on equipment like that? Facilities Director Katie St. Clair highlighted a dire situation at Chandler School, where 42 out of 60 exhaust fans have failed. We have failures throughout the town on HVAC equipment, St. Clair noted, citing a lack of staffing and funding for preventative maintenance.

The meeting concluded with a sobering discussion on Duxbury’s overall financial health and the potential for a budget override. Vincent Walsh raised the possibility of broader structural changes, asking, At what point does the state have any interest in looking at regionalization? Lemieux responded that the current MSBA invitation is strictly for Duxbury. Frank M. Holden reflected on the difficulty of passing both a debt exclusion and an override in the same cycle, remarking, I just think people understand debt exclusions, but an override is a whole another story. Andrew Marshall noted the disparity in time spent on different budget sectors, observing, We spend one meeting on the schools and we spend seven meetings on everything else. The committee also briefly touched upon a $1 million fire truck request before concluding the session.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:32 PM