To the editor:
The MHS Roof has been leaking since at least 2020. I urge town voters to please vote “Yes” in May at Town Meeting on Article 34 to pass this on to the voters on June 10th.
Although it doesn’t appear we’ve received any clear answers on why this was delayed for so long, it’s clear that we need the project to be completed ASAP. The roof cannot be repaired without replacing the HVAC systems. It poured rain on March 24. I’m sure trash buckets catching rainwater lined the halls of MHS. If you patch one spot on the roof, a new leak will appear elsewhere. This is inefficient and money wasted. Our students and staff shouldn’t have to work in such conditions. Even the auditorium roof leaks! Further delays will increase costs.
The bond that paid for the new high school is being paid off THIS YEAR! A few years ago, I asked about the annual tax impact of that project on an $800k home in FY2025, which was $179.04. This falls off our tax bill after the last payment this year.
The annual cost of the additional roof/HVAC project is estimated to add $86/year for 15 years to our tax bill on a median-priced home (as reported in the CURRENT).
What we will vote on is an estimate — the project cannot be put out to bid until the money has been approved. It could come in under $8.6 million. Marblehead is known for deferring maintenance on its buildings. Let’s come together to support this one!
As the town’s stabilization and reserve funds increase this year, we can finally start looking forward to getting our finances in order. I hope the superintendent and the School Committee can start advocating for this project soon so everyone understands why this building maintenance is necessary. Voting “Yes” on Article 34 is an investment in our community.
Thank you,
Samantha Rosato