Saugus eyes grant to upgrade school science labs

SAUGUS – The Saugus School Committee unanimously voted recently to approve a statement of interest for a grant to update the high school?s science labs.The vote last week allows Superintendent Richard Langlois to submit an application to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for a grant to update the high school?s nine science labs.Sam Rippin, the Executive Director of Finance and Operation for the school district, said there is $60 million in the pool from the MSBA and estimated the total cost to renovate the labs could reach $1 million.School Committee member Arthur Grabowski characterized the vote as “very preliminary,” and said it must still be approved by the Board of Selectmen and the town manager before heading to the MSBA.?It?s another opportunity,” said Grabowski. “The only problem is originally I thought it was 100 percent reimbursement, but it isn?t. It?s cost-sharing like the Belmonte project. We have to make sure the selectmen and the manager are on board with this project and support it. It?s an expensive proposition and I guess over the years we just haven?t picked up the ball.”Voters recently passed a $9 million debt exclusion to pay for repairs to the Belmonte Middle School. The total cost of the project is $18.9 million and the Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse the town for 53 percent of the costs. Starting in 2016, the tax levy for the average priced home will increase by around $60 per year for 20 years until the debt is paid off. The project calls for improvements to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing systems along with upgrades to the windows, building facades and lighting. There will also be electrical and energy efficiency improvements along with improved communications and media systems. Saugus School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said any new district project would most likely be “years away.”?We?re certainly looking at our next project,” said Reed. “I can?t speak if it?s going to be the high school or not.”Langlois described the labs in the high school as “outdated” and “unsafe,” and said there are inadequate sinks, Bunsen burners, electricity and even safety measures including hazardous washes and chemical storage.?It is a safety factor,” said Langlois. “We can?t provide fair and equitable programs of the lab sciences to each and every child.”The application is due to the MSBA on Jan. 12.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.