GILL — Ahead of next month’s vote on a debt exclusion that would pay for a new roof at Gill Elementary School, coupled with support from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), project leaders are detailing the scope and financial impact.
A group of 20 people, including members of the public and project leaders from the Gill Elementary School Roof Replacement Committee, toured the 48 Boyle Road school on Wednesday to examine the aging roof and learn about necessary interior and exterior improvements that will be done to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. An MSBA requirement is to make sure a portion of the roof is solar-ready, meaning solar panels can be installed at a later time, if the town chooses to do so.
The roof replacement, along with ADA improvements and preparing a portion for future solar readiness, will cost $3.8 million and will be supported by the MSBA with a reimbursement rate of 77.47% of all eligible costs, covering $2.51 million of the project cost and eligible contingency budget. Gill will be expected to fund $830,716, but the town may also have to cover some ineligible project contingency costs.
Some of these ADA improvements include adding ramps for door access, interior doorway reconfigurations and revising access to the parking lot to and from the building, among other changes.
For the roof replacement to proceed, voters will be asked at Annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 4, to appropriate the full project cost of $3.8 million. If that passes, a question on the town election ballot would seek debt exclusion approval, which would temporarily raise the town’s levy limit to cover loan payments until the loan is fully paid.
Tax-wise, the first year of a 15-year loan would entail an extra $204 cost for the average single-family homeowner in Gill, with a home valued at $337,267.
During Wednesday’s building tour and presentation, architect Rob Marcalow and Thomas Ellis, senior vice president with the owner’s project management firm Jones Lang LaSalle, joined the rest of the committee in providing context for the current condition of the roof and building, and information on the costs.
“There are a lot of areas where the roof is starting to go,” Marcalow said.
According to Marcalow, some of the issues with the roof include granule loss and delamination, broken and missing shingles, exposed nails and the accumulation of organic debris such as lichen, among other issues.
The presentation explained that the need for this project is based on a few factors. These include the potential for costly leaks and inadequate code compliance that can be addressed now that the MSBA has accepted the project after seven years of efforts by the town, and how the project being voted down or delayed further could expose the school to risks associated with an old roof.
Amid this opportunity to get a new roof with state support, and aiming for long-term stability, a metal seam roof is recommended as it has an expected lifespan of more than 50 years with minimal maintenance, compared to an asphalt shingled roof, as the school currently has, that averages a 25-year lifespan and requires more maintenance.
Responding to questions from attendees, Gill Elementary School Roof Replacement Committee member Claire Chang and Ellis explained that this project does not feature solar panels, and that having a portion of the roof be solar-ready is just an MSBA requirement to receive funding. Chang said if the town wants to add solar panels in the future, that may not be possible until 2028 or 2029.
As for the timeline feasibility and budget security, Ellis said he’s “reasonably confident” that with contingency funding built in, the project will be on time and remain within budget.
“The goal is to get it out on the streets as soon as we can and get the pricing locked in,” Ellis said about securing a bid for the project.
The next presentation on the roof replacement project will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Gill Elementary School. The public is encouraged to attend.
