The Board of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) announced in a letter to Mayor Richard Kos that they have voted to authorize execution for funding agreement of the Proposed Accelerated Repair Projects for window and door replacement at the Patrick E. Bowe School and a partial roof replacement at the Selser Memorial School.
The Patrick E. Bowe School is in need of new windows and doors at an estimated project cost of $3.1 million while the Selser Memorial School is in need of a partial roof replacement at an estimated project cost of $1.7 million. The MSBA estimated eligibility for the projects is up to $3.2 million.
“Reimbursing our school repairs at nearly 80% of our City’s costs is a meaningful benefit to our City and more importantly our taxpayers,” said Mayor Kos. “I thank our State Delegation, City Council, School Committee, municipal departments, as well as the MSBA for their assistance and support in working together to get this done.”
“Knowing that two elementary schools will be receiving repairs at a fraction of the cost is a homerun for Chicopee. Continuing to update or schools to provide safe, welcoming learning facilities for our students is something we all should be proud of,” said John Vieau, President of the City Council. “I am very pleased with the collaborative efforts of Mayor Kos, the City Council and the School Committee for taking advantage of the accelerated programs offered by the MSBA. And a sincere thank you to our State Delegation and the Board of the MSBA.”
Pursuant to the terms of the MSBA’s Accelerated Repair Program, the City is responsible for meeting all pre-requisites related to the program. In July 2016, the City signed the Initial Compliance Certification for the project, and City Council approved funding for the Feasibility Study/Schematic design of the project. Next steps in the project are the design development and procurement of bids before awarding a construction contract.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority was established by Legislature in 2004. Created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in Massachusetts' public schools, the MSBA works with local communities to find the most affordable and energy efficient solutions to create sustainable school environments.
Funded by one penny of the state sales tax, the MSBA has issued more than $12.4 billion in grants to school districts for school construction projects.
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