WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.500
you

00:00:02.500 --> 00:00:05.000
may have heard that Franklin County Technical

00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:07.500
School was accepted into the Massachusetts school

00:00:07.500 --> 00:00:10.000
building authorities core program to consider

00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.500
the renovation addition and

00:00:12.500 --> 00:00:15.000
or replacement of our school

00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:17.500
the msba process is like a marathon it

00:00:17.500 --> 00:00:20.000
takes persistence endurance and a

00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:22.500
dedicated program that takes years to achieve

00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:25.000
in this video series we

00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.500
will share the opportunity our

00:00:27.500 --> 00:00:30.000
communities have to secure tens of Millions

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.500
of dollars in state funding to support the project

00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:35.000
money that won't come out of our local tax

00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:37.500
dollars show the existing

00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:40.000
conditions of Franklin County Technical School which led

00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:42.500
our district leadership to pursue msba

00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:45.000
funding explain how we got

00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:47.500
to this point in the process including how we've listened

00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:50.000
to the community to Envision what a new or

00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.500
renovated Franklin County Technical School could

00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:55.000
provide to our students

00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.500
outline the project scope and budget of our

00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:00.000
preferred construction option

00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.500
and explain how the project only moves forward

00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:05.000
with Community authorization in

00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:07.500
special Town elections on October 6th

00:01:07.500 --> 00:01:10.000
Franklin County

00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.500
Regional Vocational Technical district has a rare

00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:15.000
opportunity to renovate or replace Frank

00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.500
County Technical School through the msba

00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:20.000
the msba is a state Authority

00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:22.500
that helps local school districts pay for the design and

00:01:22.500 --> 00:01:25.000
construction of schools everyone

00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:27.500
in the Commonwealth helps fund this process with 1 Penny

00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.000
of our 6 and a quarter percent sales tax

00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.500
the msba has funded more than 17

00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:35.000
billion dollars in Statewide School construction

00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:37.500
since 2004 the

00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:40.000
program is highly competitive only about 15%

00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.500
of school districts that apply are accepted

00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:45.000
each year the process is like a

00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:47.500
Marathon involving years of dedication to

00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:50.000
determine the most fiscally responsible solution

00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:52.500
for the future of each School building since

00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:55.000
our acceptance it to the program we hired

00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:57.500
an owner's project manager who keeps the project on

00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:00.000
time and on budget as well as

00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.500
the design team of Architects and Engineers who evaluate

00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:05.000
every possible solution weighing

00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:07.500
the pros and cons of each the payoff

00:02:07.500 --> 00:02:10.000
for this work is significant by completing

00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.500
the msba marathon Franklin County

00:02:12.500 --> 00:02:15.000
Technical School can have up to 60% of

00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:17.500
it's eligible costs reimbursed by the msba

00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:20.000
as well as additional incentive

00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:22.500
points for our maintenance work in Green School initiatives

00:02:22.500 --> 00:02:25.000
that's up to 113

00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.500
million dollars to Aid the project that

00:02:27.500 --> 00:02:30.000
won't come out of our local tax assessments

00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:32.500
Franklin

00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:35.000
County submitted a statement of interest to the msba

00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:37.500
to enter into its core program because Franklin

00:02:37.500 --> 00:02:40.000
County Technical has reached the end of its useful

00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:42.500
life opened in 1975

00:02:42.500 --> 00:02:45.000
Franklin County Technical School

00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:47.500
a decade of service to

00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:50.000
our community and while our

00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:52.500
facilities department has done its best to maintain the building

00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:55.000
its Patchwork of additions Renovations

00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:57.500
and repairs cost our towns more

00:02:57.500 --> 00:03:00.000
and more money each year

00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.500
the most recent building issues include a

00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:05.000
complete roof replacement after 2 previous roof

00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.500
related projects in the last 30 years

00:03:07.500 --> 00:03:10.000
full replacement of our aging electrical

00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.500
system which has already seen $300,000

00:03:12.500 --> 00:03:15.000
in repairs

00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.500
replacement of the building's original underground plumbing water

00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:20.000
and sewage systems

00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.500
abatement of hazardous materials such as asbestos

00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:25.000
oil and chemicals that could create

00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:27.500
environmental risks and

00:03:27.500 --> 00:03:30.000
addition of a fire sprinkler system to meet modern

00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.500
Fire Safety Code outdated Building

00:03:32.500 --> 00:03:35.000
Systems have the potential to cause power outages significantly

00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:37.500
disrupting the operation of

00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:40.000
the school and Beyond its physical deterioration

00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:42.500
and the threat of additional unseen repairs

00:03:42.500 --> 00:03:45.000
and failures Franklin County Technical School

00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:47.500
will no longer meet the minimum expectations of a

00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:50.000
21st century education that we want to deliver

00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.500
to our students to prepare them for

00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:55.000
the workforce of Tomorrow existing

00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.500
classrooms and shops are overcrowded and present

00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:00.000
safety and educational problems

00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.500
there's no group space for collaboration or interdisciplinary

00:04:02.500 --> 00:04:05.000
projects and

00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:07.500
the building layout isn't designed for school safety

00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:10.000
where Public Access should be limited to only

00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.500
where it is welcome

00:04:12.500 --> 00:04:15.000
here's how we got to the key step of

00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:17.500
Community authorization of a new Franklin County Technical

00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:20.000
school msba project the

00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:22.500
school was first accepted into the msba

00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:25.000
core program in May 2024

00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:27.500
it took about 11 months to meet eligibility requirements

00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:30.000
this included creating

00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:32.500
Google building committee made up of school and town leaders

00:04:32.500 --> 00:04:35.000
as well as community volunteers to oversee

00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:37.500
our project team and to invite public feedback

00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:40.000
our Regional School District also

00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:42.500
approved funds for a feasibility study this is

00:04:42.500 --> 00:04:45.000
money our project manager and design team will use

00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:47.500
to evaluate every possible option for

00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:50.000
the repair renovation or replacement of

00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:52.500
the school we also held dozens of listening

00:04:52.500 --> 00:04:55.000
sessions public meetings and breakouts including

00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.500
an educational visioning program which the

00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:00.000
msba requires to allow our educators

00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.500
staff and Community to share their hopes

00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:05.000
for what an improved Franklin County Technical School

00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:07.500
could provide feedback

00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:10.000
included education that promotes

00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.500
access collaboration and safety Community

00:05:12.500 --> 00:05:15.000
engage

00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.500
value maximized through cost-conscious

00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:20.000
design pragmatic sustainability focused

00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.500
on reducing long-term costs

00:05:22.500 --> 00:05:25.000
and facility character rooted in

00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.500
place and purpose our project

00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:30.000
team took this public input to evaluate

00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.500
dozens of potential scenarios from basic repair

00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:35.000
of the school to renovation to complete replacement

00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:37.500
ultimately narrowing the list

00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:40.000
down to 8 feasible options

00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:42.500
our school building committee selected new construction

00:05:42.500 --> 00:05:45.000
as its preferred option because it mean

00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:47.500
all of the criteria are communities provided

00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:50.000
us in their feedback as well as addressing

00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:52.500
all of the space safety and systems

00:05:52.500 --> 00:05:55.000
deficiencies of the existing building we're

00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:57.500
simply repairing these deficiencies would not have

00:05:57.500 --> 00:06:00.000
qualified for any msba reimburse

00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.500
placing the entire burden on local taxpayers

00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:07.500
the schematic design of a new Franklin County Technical School

00:06:07.500 --> 00:06:10.000
takes public input and Community feedback to

00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.500
create a 21st century school to serve Franklin

00:06:12.500 --> 00:06:15.000
County well into the future

00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.500
it would be located east of the existing school

00:06:17.500 --> 00:06:20.000
where the baseball field is currently located

00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.500
this creates a more functional site

00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:25.000
with an improved traffic flow including separate

00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:27.500
cues for buses and cars the

00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:30.000
centerpiece is a student Commons and

00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:32.500
in Courtyard promoting collaboration and

00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:35.000
impromptu Gatherings inside and out

00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:37.500
dedicated clusters focused

00:06:37.500 --> 00:06:40.000
on cosmetology and culinary manufacturing

00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.500
Construction motive

00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:45.000
and Science and Technology surround this

00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:47.500
Central focal point across

00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:50.000
2 floors vocation and Technology classrooms

00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.500
are interspersed along with integrated special education

00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:55.000
support the complete design

00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.500
also creates a more functional and accessible building

00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:00.000
for our community to use

00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.500
all of these key points of input and feedback

00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:05.000
are Community brought to us in the visioning process during

00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:07.500
our feasibility study of a

00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:10.000
new Franklin County Technical School

00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.500
project scope and

00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:15.000
budget for the new technical school Under the msba

00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:17.500
the total project budget is

00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:20.000
approximately 236 million this

00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.500
includes careful planning

00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:25.000
for Rising costs and environmental and

00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.500
construction contingencies if

00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:30.000
Franklin County authorizes the project the

00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.500
SBA would contribute up to 113.848%

00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:40.000
Franklin County's 19 member towns would

00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.500
be required to finance the remaining 122

00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:45.000
million on local tax roll

00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:47.500
here's how we propose to pay for our

00:07:47.500 --> 00:07:50.000
portion which requires Community authorization

00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.500
in a town election on October 6th

00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:55.000
a debt exclusion which is

00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:57.500
the decision of each member Community increases

00:07:57.500 --> 00:08:00.000
taxes only by the amount of debt and

00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.500
expires once the bond is paid off a

00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:05.000
30-year Bond using a conservative

00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:07.500
interest rate of 4 and 1/4 to 4 and 1.5%

00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:10.000
financing would be like

00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:12.500
a mortgage where even payments are made over time

00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:15.000
this approach provides predict

00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.500
ability for taxpayers and ensures future

00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:20.000
Generations who will benefit from the facility will

00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.500
also contribute an equal share we've

00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:25.000
also provided a tax calculator on

00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:27.500
the project website where you can enter your home's

00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:30.000
assessed value to calculate your

00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.500
estimated tax impact the

00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:35.000
msba process only moves forward

00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.500
with Community authorization from Franklin

00:08:37.500 --> 00:08:40.000
County voters special Town

00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.500
election is required to authorize the financing on

00:08:42.500 --> 00:08:45.000
October 6th

00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:47.500
Community authorization moves the technical school project to

00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:50.000
the next phase design Development and

00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.500
Construction documentation followed by bidding

00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:55.000
in late 2027 then

00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.500
construction with the goal of cutting the ribbon and

00:08:57.500 --> 00:09:00.000
occupying the new school in summer

00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:02.500
6:30 the msba process

00:09:02.500 --> 00:09:05.000
ends without Community authorization

00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.500
Franklin County may only schedule another

00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:10.000
vote with the msba approval otherwise

00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.500
the msba involvement would

00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:15.000
cease and any future involvement

00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:17.500
project or repair effort would require the filing

00:09:17.500 --> 00:09:20.000
of a new statement of Interest by Franklin

00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.500
County we would then go back to the beginning

00:09:22.500 --> 00:09:25.000
of the process if and when the msba

00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:27.500
accepts us back into the program which is

00:09:27.500 --> 00:09:30.000
historically a 5 to 10 year process

00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:32.500
without the msba Franklin County

00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:35.000
will have to address the construction of the technical school through

00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:37.500
its regular Capital improvement process where

00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:40.000
taxpayers pay the full cost

00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.500
in

00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:45.000
Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical District

00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:47.500
our mission is to provide a high quality comprehensive

00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:50.000
educational experience to every student

00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.500
that provides a vital part of our Workforce Development

00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:55.000
for our local economy our

00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.500
msba marathon is critical to this Mission and

00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:00.000
you're a vital component to this process

00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.500
stay up-to-date on the Franklin County

00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:05.000
Technical school project on a dedicated website

00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.500
with frequently asked questions project

00:10:07.500 --> 00:10:10.000
documents and the latest information that's

00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.500
fcts

00:10:12.500 --> 00:10:15.000
new building project us