Town Meeting says raise the roof on Nichols school
MacDonald Sprague III, front, asked questions to Middleboro Schools Superintendent David Thomson, rear, about where the $3.8 million estimate came from. Photo by Christian Uva
MacDonald Sprague III, front, asked questions to Middleboro Schools Superintendent David Thomson, rear, about where the $3.8 million estimate came from. Photo by Christian Uva
MIDDLEBORO — The Nichols Middle School will be getting a new roof soon.
Town Meeting approved $3.8 million to repair the school’s roof, which is in need of renovation. The town will only pay around $1.7 million of that total, with the remaining $2.05 million being covered by a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Some residents raised concerns about what they thought to be an inflated cost, but voters ultimately decided it was worth it.
“Our school needs a roof. Our children need a roof. We can’t ask them to go to school in a building that’s falling on their heads,” said Select Board Vice Chair Thomas White.
Structural issues have plagued the 28-year-old roof for a long time, according to Middleboro Schools officials. Insulation in the roof has become saturated and shingles have become damaged and fallen off, according to a Temco Roofing and Building Maintenance report.
Middleboro Schools Superintendent David Thomson said that the $3.8 million is the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s “estimated top number” for the price that roofing companies will bid.
The repairs were being discussed now because Middleboro would only be eligible for the grant for a short time. If the town were to wait until the next Town Meeting, it would have to wait at least five years, Thomson said.
“Getting almost 60% reimbursed is unheard of,” said Select Board member Tracie Craig-McGee.
MacDonald Sprague III, owner of Mac Roofing Co. Inc., said that a repair job on a single-family house would cost around $200,000 if it used the same rate that the roof was being priced at based on its area.
Thomson said that the roof the school has can’t be compared to that of a residential home.
“It is a whole different ballgame when we’re talking about commercial roofing,” said architect Molly Parris. She said there is more scrutiny put on projects like these by the state.
The town will soon open the repair job to bidders.
Nichols Middle School serves as an emergency shelter for Middleboro residents.
