Yarmouth officials are grappling with a $200,000 annual "carrying cost" to maintain the vacant Mattacheese Middle School, even as preliminary estimates suggest it could cost upwards of $20 million just to prepare the structure for potential residential use. During Monday night’s meeting of the Mattacheese Utilization Committee, Town Administrator’s Office representative Bill Scott warned that the town must move with a sense of urgency to decide whether to save the building or pursue demolition grants. Scott noted that while the town currently budgets $200,000 for basic upkeep, facilities staff are still discovering nuances in the building’s deteriorating condition. To address these mounting financial pressures, the committee is preparing to launch a town-wide survey to gauge public appetite for various redevelopment options before a consultant report is finalized later this month.

The financial scale of the project was a primary concern for committee members. Member John Anderson pressed for a transparent accounting of the building's drain on town resources, asking staff to confirm the total yearly cost of the building and land and whatever else may go into that to better inform the public during upcoming outreach meetings. Scott explained that a consultant is currently evaluating the feasibility of repurposing the school. To get this out of the woods, you got $20 million before you even put a couch in here, Scott said, comparing those renovation costs against the potential for a clean-slate demolition. Sharon Wymer inquired if the property was generating any offsetting revenue, though Scott clarified that aside from a small fee for pickleball in the gym, the building is largely a liability. At the moment, no one's using the auditorium... we're just concerned about all the egress points, the alarm systems, and all that, Scott added.

To move the project toward a formal recommendation, the committee is organizing "muckaround" teams focused on specific land uses: Housing, Education, Open Space, Recreation, and Municipal needs. These teams will use a two-part form to document ideas and then vet them through research and synergy testing. Barbara, the committee chair, noted that the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Council would also hold separate brainstorming sessions to ensure a wide range of commercial perspectives are captured. Motion Made by L. Pedro to approve the committee schedule of the second Monday of every month through August. Motion Passed (7-0). Following the vote, Lindsay Pedro noted she had already put it in my calendar to ensure consistent attendance through the summer deadline.

The committee spent significant time debating the structure of a forthcoming public survey, which the Select Board strongly recommended to ensure community buy-in. Using the SurveyMonkey platform, the committee plans to use data analytics to distinguish between different demographics. You really need to ask respondents if they have kids in the school system because that's going to affect their Recreation and Emmy Small opinion, Scott explained, noting that past surveys in other towns showed a disconnect between those who support amenities and those who actually use them. Kathy from the Planning Department cautioned the committee against using too many open-ended prompts, warning that anything with paper is extremely labor intensive and could result in dozens of pages of unorganized data. She suggested specific ranking questions to keep the feedback actionable.

The physical state of the building remains a hurdle for any immediate utilization. Member Roby, participating remotely, provided a grim update on the interior conditions, noting that the building doesn't quite look exactly like it did when you came for Town Meeting. Roby reported that many chairs have been broken and removed, and there is also a leak in the ceiling; several buckets are in the middle of the auditorium. Because of these safety and aesthetic concerns, the committee decided to forgo an in-person site visit. Instead, they will wait for a professional film to be produced after the consultant’s report is finished, which will use a voiceover to explain structural issues like leaking windows and failing systems to the public.

The committee also addressed the influence of social media on the planning process. Barbara raised the possibility of monitoring local Facebook groups like "Friends of Yarmouth" to harvest ideas such as sports complexes or medical facilities. However, Anderson expressed deep skepticism about relying on unverified online commentary. My opinion is it's a dangerous road to go down pulling people's opinions off social media without context, Anderson said. If I really want a pool, I should get on the survey and rank it or attend a public meeting. Planning staff agreed, suggesting that the town's official role should be limited to sharing links to the formal survey rather than engaging in informal debates on third-party platforms.

Looking ahead, the committee aims to have the full schedule of "muckaround" team meetings finalized by January 27. Member Joe Platka highlighted the difficulty of balancing these commitments with family schedules, noting he cannot do the 10th of February due to a conflict with his child's basketball game. Scott emphasized that the committee must remain as arbiters of the process rather than advocates for specific uses. The final utilization plan is expected to serve as a hand-off to the Select Board, who will then oversee the implementation phase, which may include issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to private developers or seeking Town Meeting funds for municipal projects. The committee also acknowledged the resignation of member Ian due to scheduling conflicts; the Select Board is expected to interview replacement candidates later this month.