SAUGUS – Residents headed to the polls on Tuesday to decide the fate of Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School (Northeast Metro Tech), with the town voting to fund the building of a brand new school.
Out of almost 1,500 town residents who voted, 921 voters approved the funding and 547 did not.
Saugus joined the 11 other sending communities — Chelsea, Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Revere, Stoneham, Wakefield, Winchester, Winthrop and Woburn — in voting affirmatively for the new school, according to a statement from Northeast Metro Tech Superintendent David DiBarri.
“We are deeply grateful to the voters in our 12 sending communities for their participation in today’s vote, their collective support of a new school building, and for securing a vision for a 21st-century career technical education that will position our students for success after graduation,” said DiBarri. “Input from the Northeast community has been an integral part of this process.
“School officials, construction experts, and School Committee and Building Committee members from all 12 communities worked diligently to create a proposal that reflects that community feedback, and respects the cost to taxpayers. Our work is just beginning. We welcome community feedback as we refine this project, and look forward to the day we celebrate a new chapter for Northeast Metro Tech.”
The concerns regarding the project involved the price tag. At the beginning of talks surrounding the new school, it was estimated that the project would cost $175 million. The project is now estimated to cost more than $300 million.
“We’re not looking for a new school because we want shiny rooms and to be able to tell people ‘look how great this is,’” DiBarri said in October. “Our building is coming to an end.”
In its current state, Northeast Metro Tech is only able to accept 41 percent of applicants each year due to capacity issues. Other issues the current school faces include limited Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), outdated facilities and programming, and failing mechanical and electrical systems.
The required investment will be partially covered by a $140.8-million grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) awarded to the district in August 2021. The remaining cost will be shared by the 12 communities the school serves through the issuance of a 30-year construction bond, starting in fiscal year 2026.
The new school will feature 21st-century learning environments, expanded program offerings, improved IEP accommodations, state-of-the-art shop space, a 750-seat auditorium, a full-size gym, a new cafeteria, outdoor learning space, and a new primary-access roadway from Farm Street to reduce traffic congestion.
“I would like to see this project pass,” said Board of Selectmen member Corinne Riley prior to the vote. “It is definitely outdated, but it is extremely important for those who seek another profession that they wouldn’t get if they weren’t the kind of a student to do well in college.”
