MEXICO – The Region 9 Cooperative Board on Tuesday approved the lease-purchase of a modular classroom for its diversified occupation program. The board also recommended a restructuring to reflect the town of Peru’s joining SAD 21.
Director David Driscoll said the board entered into an agreement with Schiavi Enterprises of Oxford to acquire a 28-by-40-foot modular at a lease-purchase cost over five years of $50,400.
All but about $5,500 will be reimbursed by the state, he said.
The classroom is needed as a result of code and safety issues in the River Road school’s basement. About 30 diversified occupation students have had their workshop in the basement until a few weeks ago. After that, the students were moved to whatever spaces were available in the building.
A study by a state inspection team showed the need for improved exits from the basement, along with other problems.
The Region 9 board initially planned to spend up to $50,000 for the basement’s renovation. But board members decided to purchase the modular classroom instead because of a structural survey of the entire building.
That study, recommended by the state, should be completed by the end of the summer. It will show whether extensive renovations should be made or whether plans should begin to build a new school, said Driscoll.
The modular probably will be placed about 20 feet from the east side of the building sometime this summer.
Also on Tuesday, the board voted to recommend reducing the number of its members from 12 to 11. The change would change the three members representing SAD 21 and Peru to two members with weightier votes. With the proposed changes, SAD 21’s two votes would be worth 260, SAD 44’s two votes worth 262, and SAD 43’s four votes would total 456. Although the unaffiliated towns of Gilead, Upton and Hanover are entitled to one member each at a much lower weighted value, only Hanover regularly appoints a representative.
Wayne Thurston, who has represented Peru for many years, is expected to be appointed as a SAD 21 representative.
SAD 43’s slight reduction in the weighted vote, from 487 to 456, reflects a change in population in its member towns from the 1990 to 2000, according to Census figures.
Driscoll said the recommended changes must be approved by each member school district before they take effect.
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