GRAY — A long-range plan to fund middle school, high school and athletic field renovations and construction will be finalized when the RSU 15 school board holds a special meeting 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Pennell municipal building in Gray.

The board will finalize a funding bond proposal in a ballot question for Gray and New Gloucester voters at the November polls.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the public will be given an opportunity to comment on the plan before the board votes.

The long-range plan was unveiled to the board on Sept. 3 and includes an addition and renovations to Gray-New Gloucester Middle School. That proposal calls for remodeling the school’s entrance, a new chimney, a two-storied expansion to the building for additional classrooms and two options for improved parking. Under the plan, classroom space will be available for art and music.

Water damage at the front entrance of the building has caused deterioration.

The middle school additions and renovations total $1.6 million if the board approves the full plan.

At Gray-New Gloucester High School, two high school chemistry labs will provide 14 new lab benches at a cost of $362,000.

At Russell Elementary School, entrance renovations and interior reconfiguration of space totals $57,000, as proposed.

Finally, five new athletic fields with irrigation and road construction on a tract of undeveloped land owned by the district will cost $2.4 million.

A new track and field complex at $1.3 million seeks funding approval.

An artificial turf field, totaling $738,000, is also in the plan.

Stephen Blatt Architects and Sevee and Maher Engineering were hired by the district to develop the long-range plan at a cost of $35,000.

Construction is planned to be completed August 2015.

If voters approved the plan, the projects would be bonded for 20 years, Superintendent Bruce Beesley said.

He said a series of community forums is planned before voters head to the polls.

“We have really been trying to move students into available space,” said Beasley, who has roughly 2,000 students in five district schools.

A new track is proposed that will meet requirements to host a state track meet, for example. The existing track is narrow and has a deteriorating foundation, Beasley said.

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