Auburn officials have decided to build a new school somewhere else.
By Lindsay Tice
Staff Writer

AUBURN – After an hour of heated debate Wednesday night, the School Committee agreed to keep the options it holds on five land parcels in the Lake Street neighborhood.

At least for now.

Last month, Auburn officials learned that the state would not support the planned expansion of Lake Street Elementary School. It cost too much, the site was too small and the project had too many constraints, the state said.

So, after 10 months of negotiations to buy the properties surrounding the school, Auburn officials decided to scrap the expansion project and build a new school somewhere else in the neighborhood.

But Wednesday night, as committee members considered rescinding the option agreements it held on five pieces of Lake Street land, parents and area residents packed the meeting room to cry foul.

“I’m not willing to give up what we’ve worked a year on when we don’t have anything else in hand,” said Debbie Farrago, a parent and member of the Lake Street Building Committee.

Some community members said they wanted the board to keep the agreements so the school system could still buy the land if it found a way to continue with the expansion.

“I think we need to fight harder to keep the school here. It’s the heart of the neighborhood and we can’t let it go,” said Elizabeth Wooten, the only property owner to sell her land outright to the school department.

Because the state said it would reconsider the project if the school system bought the two large properties abutting the school, some said they wanted more time to convince the lone holdout to sell.

“What harm could it possibly do to hold off two weeks and give the neighborhood a chance to talk with them?” asked Karen Belitsos, a parent and the wife of committee member Theodore Belitsos.

Some committee members agreed that rushing to rescind option agreements was a bad idea.

One, Justin Leary, said the school system might have to try pushing its original Lake Street expansion proposal through the state approval process – although the state Board of Education’s review committee said it would not support the expansion and the state has never approved a plan not supported by its review committee.

“That may be our only option and that’s why I want to wait at least a little while longer,” said Leary, who received a petition signed by more than 140 residents asking that the school system wait to drop the option agreements.

But while the most vocal audience and committee members said they didn’t want to rescind the agreements, others argued the school system should back out now.

“In all good conscience I have a problem telling these people ‘we’re going to hold on to these options just in case’, knowing that ‘just in case’ isn’t going to happen,” said committee member David Das.

Of the five landowners who agreed to sell their land to the school system, three have now asked to be released from their contract. During the meeting, landowner Susan Lalemand said she would be willing to wait but “I would like to at least have some sort of timeline.”

Ultimately, the School Committee agreed, voting unanimously not to drop the option agreements

It will take the issue up again at their meeting on Dec. 17.

“Put it in high gear, find out what our options are and I think we can assuage some of the anxiety that these community members have,” said committee member Theodore Belitsos.

The committee is looking to buy a single property that would allow the city to build a new school in the same neighborhood. Those land negotiations are confidential.

Lake Street Elementary School is set on less than two acres in the heart of an old neighborhood. With 145 students from kindergarten through grade three, the school has no room for art or music, no cafeteria or gymnasium. Outdoor play areas and parking places are limited.

ltice@sunjournal.com

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