Voters across the 11 cities and towns that send students to Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School are deciding today whether to approve spending $445 million to construct a replacement school.
Proponents say that while the 50-year-old school has been well maintained, it does not meet today’s state building codes. A feasibility study reported the net $267.5 million billed to communities after grants and reimbursement by the state is preferable to an estimated $350 million to bring the existing building up to code and pay for a wastewater treatment plant, sprinkler system and new access road.
Haverhill, whose students comprise about 70% of those attending, would pay the largest share—an estimated $111.3 million—compared with, as examples, Groveland, $11.3 million, and West Newbury, $8.2 million. One of the first public complaints about the price tag and impact came from Newburyport when Mayor Sean Reardon uttered concerns before a December meeting of the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
The chief complaint raised by opponents is that while Haverhill sends and pays for almost 70% of the students annually, the 1967 agreement among the sending communities makes Haverhill responsible for only $41.6% of capital costs. The latter formula is based on each community’s total number of students in grades one through 12.
All communities had an opportunity in the late 1970s to reopen the agreement when Haverhill sued the district, arguing it isn’t fair for the city to have only 15% of the representation—the same as Newburyport—when it was then paying 50% of the annual operating costs. A U.S. Circuit Court ruled against Haverhill in 1978, saying Haverhill agreed to the terms. The other communities, unwilling to negotiate fresh terms, also had to abide by the capital cost allocation.
Opponents, led by Newburyport-based “Reimagine Whittier,” also complain the school costs too much and should go back to the drawing board. State School Building Authority Executive Director Mary Pichetti warned in December there is no guarantee Whittier would be approved for a revised plan if the current one is rejected by voters.
“If approval eventually does not come on the project, then we would likely be working with the superintendent and the district to remove their Statement of Interest, and none of us here want that to happen,” she said.
Unlike other elections, polling locations will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A majority vote decides whether a replacement school moves forward.
The sending communities are Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.