Mary Redmond-Luce, director of adult education for RSU 9, outlines the $1.55 million Connectivity Grant proposal during a recent school board meeting, highlighting plans to acquire the 144 High Street building to expand adult education services and generate leasing revenue in Farmington. File photo/Franklin Journal

FARMINGTON — Mary Redmond-Luce, director of adult education for Regional School Unit 9, presented updates on the Connectivity Grant and the proposed acquisition of the 144 High Street building in Farmington during the December school board meeting. The presentation focused on project funding, building details and its potential uses.

“Thank you to all who came and toured 144 High Street,” Luce began. “I greatly appreciate it. Every time I’m in that building, I am thinking I am going to get lost. That’s such a big building.”

At her last presentation, Luce explained she shared comprehensive information about adult education and its revenue. Today’s presentation is simply for the grant, she said.

Luce clarified that the grant funding is specifically for the building itself. “This grant is simply about—a building,” she emphasized. “It doesn’t really have anything to do with what adult education has to offer. The grant, the revenue, the warrant articles, all of that stuff is what’s going to continue to fund adult education.”

Outlining the grant details, Luce shared that $1.55 million had been secured, with an additional $100,000 contingency and $85,000 in a separate contingency line for unforeseen costs. “I put it aside because you never know what you will encounter when you move into a new building,” she said.

The project timeline requires completion by March 31 2026. “In my negotiations with Maine Connectivity Authority, I said that we would start July 1 2025,” Luce said. “Because the building really is move-in ready for adult ed, there doesn’t need to be any other construction. The owner of the building currently is saying that he will finish the two handicapped-accessible bathrooms on the second floor, which does need to happen, and the parking lot will be renovated by July. So, our hope is that we will be moving in by this time next year.”

Regarding space utilization, Luce explained, “The basement has 7,000 square feet. I say more like 6,000 square feet due to utility closets, furnace, etc.” She added that the second floor also has 7,000 square feet, primarily designated for adult education, with 750 square feet leased to Goodwill. “We would hope to continue that because it’s in a part of the second floor that wouldn’t impact us, and it’s actually a great community connection,” she said.

Revenue projections from leasing were outlined during the presentation. “The basement of 6,000 square feet, I say $1.50 per square foot a month or $18 per year, would be $108,000,” Luce said. “The second floor at 7,000 square feet would be $126,000. With Goodwill, it would be $13,500 for a total leasing capacity of $247,500.”

Superintendent Christian Elkington responded, “Your projection is about a quarter of a million dollars in revenue a year.” He emphasized the district’s commitment to the project. “If this comes to fruition, the district office would take care of all of what she is talking about, including the solar panels,” Elkington said.

Concerns were raised by board members about the building’s long-term maintenance and financial implications. One board director noted, “We are talking about budget cuts, but we are still always adding stuff. Are we going to make cuts?” Another highlighted the challenges of taking on a 117-year-old building, citing potential expenses similar to those encountered with the Holman House.

“I think we did our due diligence,” Chair Dorothy “Dee” Robinson shared. “It’s a building. It is a grant for the building. We need to decide.”

Luce highlighted the inadequacies of the current adult education building. “The administrator building at adult ed currently has not been updated,” she said. “It is 30 years old. It has no sprinkler system, no one under 18 can be educated there,” she said.

Ultimately, the board voted to present the proposal to RSU 9 voters for approval. Robinson concluded, “Get your presentation ready for taxpayers.”