Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District trustees discussed the campus development project in their first meeting with new Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler July 7.

Chair Steve Lorrain said a public meeting will be scheduled soon with the planned architects, Lavallee Brensinger (LBPA), to better inform the firm on the type of timeline the schools and community want to consider. Lorrain’s preferred draft timeline so far gives the project a May 2023 public referendum and completion in 2025.

“Between July and December of this year, they're going to start doing site investigations, they're going to get the educators involved and ... start developing curriculum and learning objectives.”

Lorrain said he stressed the importance of a complete cost estimate to optimize existing spaces before planning for complete overhaul of the campus. After the as yet unformed building committee decides whether or not to pursue LBPA’s initial concept, the design stage will begin and January to May 2022 will be heavy on community engagement. “Some of the subcommittees are going to (have) people from the community ... It would be really beneficial.”

Kahler said he has also been in touch with the architects and everyone agrees involving the communities is crucial.

“Stay tuned for all that information and when those decisions get made and those committees and subcommittees are formed all of that information will be on the (school) website and we'll get that out to the community in a variety of different ways.”

Trustee Kevin Anthony said original plans for a track behind Boothbay Region Elementary School should be shared with LBPA. “Those plans are potentially still helpful going forward if we can incorporate that into what we're doing."

AOS 98 Director of Facilities and Maintenance Dave Benner said he still had copies of the plans and would share them with Kahler and Lavallee Brensinger. Trustees agreed by consensus, they will contribute two members to the building committee.

Trustees approved the revised pre-kindergarten tuition agreement between Southport Central School and the CSD. The original contract accounted for a half-day program which has since expanded to all day. The rates changed from $7,000 to just over $13,000.