The process of constructing a new Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School is now focused on getting local political and community support. The school recently received more time from the state to do so.
Last month the Diman received $145 million in assistance from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to construct the $293 million school. Diman Superintendent-Director Dr. Elvio Ferreira says the funding announcement sets in motion a deadline to receive approval of the project from the four communities the school serves…Fall River, Somerset, Swansea and Westport. The initial deadline for approval was April 15th. But yesterday the school was granted a 90-day extension to seek approval by the MSBA. The Diman school committee still needs to vote to accept the deadline extension. The process for community approval is dictated by state law.
Thus far Westport and Swansea have given their support to the project. Somerset is planning to have approval come up for a vote at town meeting. The Fall River City Council will soon be asked to weigh in on the proposal.
Dr. Ferreira says Diman’s long-standing commitment to excellence in vocational education, combined with a glaring need to improve its facility, should convince the communities to move the project forward.
A major factor in the communities’ decision to approve the project is the cost each will bear in funding the portion of construction not covered by state funds. Under the current financial cost analysis provided to the communities, Fall River will be asked to pay $193 million toward the project, Somerset $24.5 million, Swansea $21 million and Westport $13 million. Communities would not be assessed until 2024 and payments would be spread over 30 years. It is unclear how each community will choose to pay for the project, either through their general funds or via tax debt exclusion vote.
The school has launched an outreach campaign to educate the community to the benefits of a new school and garner support for its approval. Deborah Kenney is chair of the project’s outreach committee and says asking taxpayers to foot the bill for a new school is a big ask…But one that will ensure Diman remains a relevant educational option for the region.
The outreach committee has created a website and Facebook page dedicated to the project and residents will soon learn more about the impact a new Diman will have on the community.
These numbers do not add up… this smacks of a JCII screwing, NOT UNLIKE THE DURFEE III DEBACLE! If we need $293M to build a school, and the various city/town assessments add up to $251.5M, where is the other $42M coming from?