The City Council Tuesday approved orders totaling $150,000 to conduct Schematic Design Studies at Patrick E. Bowe School for a potential window and door replacement project at Chicopee Academy at Selser School for a potential roof replacement project through the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) Accelerated Repair Program.

With an estimated budget cost of $1,212,625.00 for both projects, the Schematic Design Studies are step one in the Accelerated Repair Program process which would allow the City to receive approximately 80 percent reimbursement of the project’s total cost.

"We have a longstanding relationship with the MSBA which has allowed us to update many school building at a greatly reduced cost to the local taxpayer,” said Mayor Richard Kos. “As we begin this process we hope to be able to do the same with Bowe and Selser.”

“We have been successful in providing for capital improvements to several of our schools that require structural repairs in order to maintain safe and healthy environments for our students and staff,” said Superintendent Richard Rege. “This is a continuation of those efforts and we look forward to working with the MSBA to accomplish that.”