(Photo/Dakota Antelman)
WESTBOROUGH — Three requests made by Westborough Public Schools at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 25, were approved.
Under Article 4, operating budgets, the School Department’s request for $63,539,476 for fiscal 2024, was approved, 175-74. This budget is $2.49 million, or 4.1%, more than fiscal 2023.
Under the Capital Improvement Plan (Article 10), the School Department filed two items. One request, for $132,000 toward design plans to restore the roof at Mill Pond Elementary School, was approved by a vote of 222-48.
A $504,000 request toward design and engineering work to replace 80,000 square feet of the roof at Hastings Elementary School carried by a vote of 222-48, more than the two-thirds majority required.
Bock said part of Hastings’ roof, which is 27 years old, has started to pull away from the flashing, causing leaks in several parts of the building.
Bock said that despite constant efforts to repair and patch, “it’s time to retire the roof.”
A request to fund ADA construction at Hastings was passed over, 229-9. According to Bock, the School Department was unable to get strong bid numbers. The department plans to send out for bids again, and bring this item to fall Town Meeting.
