The future of the Mattacheese school site took a decisive turn toward total redevelopment as the Mattacheese Utilization Committee reached a consensus on clearing the aging campus to make way for a mix of recreation, housing, and educational facilities. Faced with a staggering $25.6 million estimate to merely renovate the existing gymnasium and auditorium, committee members signaled a preference for more cost-effective new construction over trying to salvage portions of the failing structure.

The meeting centered on a detailed facilities review from Catalyst Architects, which laid out the harsh financial reality of reusing the 1970s-era buildings. Todd from Catalyst Architects explained that while basic demolition of the site would cost roughly $3.7 million, attempting to bring the gymnasium and auditorium up to modern standards would be nearly ten times as expensive. Scenario B involves demolishing classroom wings and upgrading the auditorium/gym with a 3,000 square foot addition for support spaces, totaling approximately $25.6 million, Todd told the committee. He further noted that a repair-only approach was virtually impossible due to code requirements, as the Axius report costs for failing systems did not account for necessary upgrades. To actually use it for a new purpose, you would need to add costs for fit-up and accessibility. The repairs column alone cannot be a standalone option, he cautioned.

The committee first moved to address the primary school buildings, noting that the $42 million required for basic code repairs made any adaptive reuse for municipal offices or private housing financially non-viable. Motion Made by A. Leard to make a preliminary recommendation to take down all school buildings with the exception of the gymnasium and auditorium. Motion Passed (7-0). Chair Sharon Wymer emphasized that including these high-cost figures in their final report was essential to explain their reasoning to the Select Board. The price of $54 million to produce offices that probably aren't needed substantiates why we aren't pursuing that, but it will be part of the narrative in the memo, Wymer said.

Discussion then shifted to the fate of the gymnasium and auditorium. Member Lindsay Petro questioned the legality of any plan that didn't address the building's current deficiencies, asking, In the repair scenario, with that not including any ADA compliance updates, is that even legal or allowed? With the cost of a brand-new, 18,300-square-foot recreation center estimated at $16.5 million—nearly $9 million less than renovating the old gym—the committee moved to clear the site entirely. Motion Made by J. Anderson to demolish the gym and auditorium provided that at a minimum one of the three recommendations has a place for town recreation. Motion Passed (7-0). To ensure the community does not lose a vital resource, the committee followed this with a second directive: Motion Made by J. Anderson that at least one of the three recommendations includes a town-owned recreation building. Motion Passed (7-0).

Jeff Beg of the BSC Group presented several bubble loop diagrams to help the committee visualize how the seven-acre site could be partitioned. These theoretical layouts included options for a massive 120,000-square-foot regional sports facility, which could serve as an economic driver for the town. These are theoretical to help inform the creation of three detailed conceptual site plans, Beg explained. Casey Schmidt inquired about the physical constraints of keeping the old structures, noting, With the exception of scenarios 1 and 2, we are assuming the gymnasium is removed in your last two scenarios? Beg confirmed that removing the older buildings demonstrates flexibility and allows new facilities to move closer to the street. Motion Made by L. Petro to recommend that the concept of a regional sports facility be included in one or more of the conceptual site plans. Motion Passed (7-0).

The most contentious debate of the evening involved the inclusion of housing. While all members acknowledged the town's housing crisis, J. Anderson and Barbara Leo argued against mandating housing in every single conceptual design, suggesting that at least one plan should focus exclusively on recreation and sports. Chair Wymer countered that the town's need was too great to ignore in any version of the plan. Motion Made by L. Petro to recommend that housing of some sort be included in all three conceptual site plans. Motion Passed (5-2) with J. Anderson and B. Leo dissenting. The current models suggest the site could accommodate 60 or more units on approximately seven acres.

The committee also looked toward future educational needs, specifically the potential relocation of the Emmy Small school. Motion Made by J. Anderson to recommend that a new elementary school be included in one of the concept plans. Motion Passed (7-0). Finally, the committee formally slammed the door on moving town hall functions to the Higgins Crowell Road site. Motion Made by L. Petro to recommend that no municipal services or offices be moved to the site. Motion Passed (7-0). J. Anderson noted his initial confusion on this point, stating, I thought we were told not to look at municipal offices, but the formal vote ensures the Select Board understands the committee's firm stance against the $54 million office conversion price tag.

The committee will now wait as BSC Group develops three distinct conceptual site plans based on these votes. Because of the Select Board’s heavy end-of-year schedule, the presentation of these finalized concepts has been pushed to late January or early February 2025. This delay will also push the planned community forum into February, ensuring the Select Board has an opportunity to weigh in on the preliminary findings before the general public is asked for feedback.