BCAT News

The following is a letter to the editor and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of BNEWS. 

Please join me and vote Yes for BHS!

There is an election to decide whether the town should raise taxes to spend $335M to renovate and rebuild Burlington High School. Please vote Yes this Saturday the 15th at the high school (or vote early today or tomorrow at Town Hall).

Here are some of the reasons I am voting Yes for this project:
– The high school is so old and the design is so outdated (for example, much of the building and classroom spaces have no windows), that it is way behind the level of most surrounding towns.
– The high school was built in 1971 and most major components (e.g. HVAC) are original and in dire need of replacement (despite being adequately maintained over the years).
– The inevitable HVAC replacement (or similar project) will cost over $20M, and exceeding that threshold will trigger a requirement to bring the entire building into compliance with the many state building codes that have been created since 1971, such as modernizing the sprinkler system and making the whole building ADA compliant.
– The cost estimate for that required full rehab project is similar to the cost of the current proposed rebuild project, even though in that case we would not get the benefit of the current plan’s improved building layout and instructional spaces (with windows!).
– Although some people think we should wait for state funding (from MSBA), we’ve been trying to get state funding for over a decade and it’s not going to happen since the school is not overcrowded, which is the state’s primary criterion for making funding decisions.
– Those on fixed incomes or who would otherwise struggle to afford the cost of the tax increase can apply for any of several tax abatement programs available to residents.
– For those that think buildings don’t teach students, teachers do, without investing in our buildings we won’t be able to attract and retain top teaching talent – they will choose to go to other towns that invest in their schools.

All of this is my own analysis from following the details of the various committee meetings and studying much of the online information. It did not come from a proponents’ campaign.

I am very much voting YES and I hope this project will move forward, even though I no longer have kids in the Burlington school system. Although many years from now perhaps my grandchildren will attend BHS!

I’ve lived in town for 26 years and have always been proud that Burlington is a very desirable place to live, to raise a family, and to grow old. The location is convenient with lots of amenities available, and the town has a healthy balance of providing excellent services and infrastructure with a relatively low residential tax rate compared to surrounding towns.

The quality of the school system and the town’s ongoing commitment to investing in its infrastructure are big factors that make Burlington so desirable. I’m hoping we can continue this approach by turning around Burlington High School to make it something to be proud of again.

Please let me know if you would like more information about any of the details above, also….

Please join me and vote Yes for BHS!

Thank you,
Nolan Glantz
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 1