I was not in town when the school was being built, but perhaps someone who was can answer this question: how much of that increase in costs was due to inflation vs “nice to haves” and features that were added without doing a needs assessment? Did we ever look back at the school project and say: “how can we make this more cost efficient?”
I REALLY struggle with the premise of “we need to spend $25M now because it’s going to be more if we wait.” It’s a huge amount of money to push through without understanding needs and alternative options. To me the question is: do we need a single COA/PRD facility located on Hartwell Campus that is larger and more expensive than any other community center in the area? Spending $325K to flesh out designs will *not* answer that question. On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 12:08 PM Andy Wang <[email protected]> wrote: > Part of it was the lost of state funding, but costs to build the school > about doubled.. between 2012 and 2018 > > In 2012, the school building was going to be $49M, $21M was from state > funding + $28M was from the town. > In 2018, we ended up spending about $94M > > So the building costs almost doubled ($49M --> $94M) > But the town ended up paying more than triple ($28M --> $94M) > > State funding is not on the table here for the Community Center > > > On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 11:34 AM Richard Panetta <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Wasn’t in part to the loss of funding from the state. >> >> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 11:11 AM Lis Herbert <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Sara: >>> >>> Do not try to contort the meaning of my words and frame me as >>> insensitive. Don’t. >>> >>> I didn’t say that I think $25 million is something to sneeze at. I said >>> it will seem like peanuts if we delay, ie when the town is presented with a >>> 40M price tag down the road. >>> >>> The history of these projects has shown that 11M can balloon to 25. The >>> first school vote was for roughly half what the new school ultimately cost. >>> That’s mostly the result of waiting, and little else. >>> >>> Lis >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 30, 2022, at 9:19 AM, Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Calling $25 million “peanuts” is a bit much. >>> While it may be “ peanuts” to you, a significant portion of our >>> population would find it otherwise. >>> And, to date, no one is talking about the Town operating budgets and >>> what they will look like, going forward- after we address teachers >>> contract, the hiring a new Superintendent, changes in Town Office staffing >>> and the impacts of inflation across the board. >>> >>> I suspect we will see the need for an override to support the staffing >>> needs. >>> >>> That is part of the total tax package that has an impact on individual >>> households. >>> >>> So, what may be “ peanuts” to you, may have serious and crushing impacts >>> on others. >>> >>> We need to be mindful and sensitive to that reality. >>> >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 30, 2022, at 9:05 AM, Lis Herbert <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Sara: >>> If this process is delayed or stopped entirely, again, the price tag for >>> needs may well exceed current “wants” — many of which, judging by the >>> survey results the CCBC circulated yesterday, are pragmatic, and reflect a >>> community’s needs in 2022, not 2012. >>> $25 million will seem like peanuts when it’s time to vote on whatever >>> the next iteration of this process is 5 or 10 years down the line. And >>> people will surely wonder then, if the vote is for a center in some unknown >>> location near Donelan’s, why it isn’t sited at Hartwell? >>> And around and around and around we can go, forever. >>> Lis >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:51 AM, Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> That was then, this is now. >>> We have gone through some radical changes in the last several years. >>> Our economy is volatile. >>> Our work lives have changed, as have commuting patterns. >>> >>> Should put our fingers in our ears, hands over our eyes and act as if it >>> is 2012 all over again ? >>> >>> We need to be more flexible and creative to meet the needs ( and be >>> careful about “ wants”) of the town in 2022 and beyond. >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:41 AM, Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Times have changed, and so must we. >>> >>> There is an opportunity tonight to be more creative. >>> >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:26 AM, DJCP <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Oh great, let's wash 10 years of work down the tube so we can start on a >>> new project. >>> Diana >>> Giles Rd >>> >>> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 8:16 AM <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hello friends, I will *not *be voting in favor of the community center >>>> project now… for several reasons explained below. If these considerations >>>> and others you have give you pause, I hope you will join those of us who >>>> are interested in further discussion. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> First, Lincoln’s once in a generation Comprehensive Plan, approved at >>>> Town Meeting ~ten years ago prioritized revitalizing our South Lincoln >>>> commercial center. *Without a vibrant place to gather, we risk >>>> becoming an inert, mono-culture suburb,* of increasingly high priced >>>> single family homes and residents who can afford them. A vital Mall at our >>>> center would be a place to gather, meet with friends, and exchange ideas >>>> with others who have diverse backgrounds and views. Before locating a COA >>>> or Community Center building at the school property we should evaluate its >>>> potential to jump-start and support commercial and civic growth at the mall >>>> and help Lincoln slowly and steadily transition into the dynamic community >>>> we can be. It’s time. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> We haven’t had a thorough review of town goals or prioritized them >>>> since the Comprehensive Plan. If we choose to ignore the last Comprehensive >>>> Plan, let’s plan again. Let’s agree on priorities. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> There seems to be an ongoing, important, and complex discussion re the >>>> distinctions and requirements of a community center vs. a facility for our >>>> Council on Aging program….prudence dictates these be thoroughly studied >>>> and resolved before being considered for funding by town meeting. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> And this project will cause real estate taxes to increase above the >>>> rate of inflation, again. It will be particularly troubling now for seniors >>>> living on a fixed income >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Let’s consider/reconsider these matters fully before we vote for a >>>> community center or a COA facility at school property. Let’s get this >>>> right. Please consider voting No. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Best, Joe >>>> >>>> Joe Robbat >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>>> Browse the archives at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>> >>>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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