Lynn schools superintendent requests aid for Pickering repairs

LYNN – School Superintendent Catherine Latham started the process Wednesday of seeking state aid for planned repairs to Pickering Middle School.Latham filed a letter of intent with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to support the filing.”This is very preliminary. It’s simply to get us in the pipeline,” said Latham, noting that School Committee approval is also required, but a series of snowstorms has kept the committee from its last two scheduled meetings.According to Latham, a request for assistance from the state agency must be prioritized, with school districts submitting letters of intent for a single school rather than several simultaneously.Wednesday was the deadline. Latham planned to e-mail the request, which details plans for refurbishing Pickering through structural improvements and upgrades to lighting and handicapped accessibility.The MSBA can authorize up to 80 percent reimbursement for expenses directly related to the rehabilitation of the school, said Latham, emphasizing reimbursement does not include parking lots, landscaping or other similar costs.”These applications are only the beginning. They’re followed by feasibility studies. It’s a long process,” she said.