D-S School Committee Discuss Replacement Of High School Wastewater Treatment Facility

Tension mounted, Tuesday night, between the Dover-Sherborn School Committee and representatives of the Sherborn Warrant Committee and Sherborn Advisory Committee over the $590,000 bill to replace the regional high school’s wastewater treatment facility.

Robyn Hunter, chairman of the Dover-Sherborn School Committee and committee member Clare Graham presented the budget for the fiscal year of 2012.

During the wastewater treatment facility portion of the presentation, Hunter said that they have, “no choice but to upgrade” the facility that was deemed unsuitable by the Department of Environmental Protection because of a design issue.

Hunter added that although both Dover and Sherborn have stated intent to fix the problem, “unfortunately, at this point there is no inter-municipality agreement signed.”

Hunter said that the DEP’s deadline on the matter is in 10 days and because of the lateness of a conclusion the committee decided to include the $590,000 tab in the regional school district’s operating budget.

She pointed out that if the agreement is signed by both towns, then the price tag could always be subtracted but could never be added. 

Pete Lamson, Sherborn Advisory Committee member, asked if there was any legal recourse being taken on the issue of the design flaw.

Hunter said that the statute of limitations on the matter may have run out but that they are currently having conversation with legal counsel and stated they could not speak about it in public forum.

Gwen Ortmeyer, of the Sherborn Advisory Committee, asked if a legal recourse was won would the money would then go back to the town.

Hunter assured her that it would.

Hunter also noted that Sherborn had yet to give input on the $18,675,807 regional school budget. 

Ruth Chamberlain, chair of Sherborn’s Advisory Committee stated that they had met unofficially to discuss it but that the meeting they have scheduled is not until the next week and the Sherborn Selectmen would not meet until March 24.  

Another Sherborn resident brought up the issue that there was a lot of concern about the student-teacher ratio in the school district.

He said the issue of student-teacher ratio is a big concern in Sherborn.

Superintendent Valerie Spriggs assured him that they are well within their state mandated student-teacher ratios.

Committee member Ellen Williams said that the class size in the school district has not changed over the past thirty years.