AMHERST — Amherst is likely to spend more than $200,000 to maintain Wildwood School through next June, covering the costs of heating and electricity, and a full-time custodian, while making some accessibility improvements to the 1970s-era building.
With the school district turning over the school to the town as of Sept. 1, Town Council will be presented with a request to appropriate $224,000 for “care and custody” of the 71 Strong St. site.
The money would be drawn from what Finance Director Sean Mangano calls “inactive articles” previously authorized, but never used, for improvements at both Wildwood and Fort River schools, meaning the town will not be using free cash or reserves to cover these ongoing expenses.
Mangano told the Finance Committee at a recent meeting, which recommended the spending in a 3-0 vote, that this will keep the 1970s-era building in usable shape, as town officials contemplate its future.
If the building, which will no longer be used as an elementary school this fall upon the opening of the new Amethyst Brook School, goes offline for any length of time, it would be tough to resume using it, Mangano said.
The building is currently being used for summer school programming and for the town’s Recreation Department, with office space for seven employees.
The cost estimate was based on pro-rating, for 10 months, the annual $268,426 cost of utilities and maintenance, though some of the ongoing expenses for the schools, such as cleaning of ducts in the kitchen, may not be needed.
At least one full-time custodian, responsible for shoveling and mowing, will be hired, though if not needed at the school, could be reassigned. It’s also possible accessibility improvements will be completed for the Recreation Department, if it remains there for any length of time.
District 2 Councilor Lynn Griesemer said the spending is a “painful reminder” of why the town moved forward with a new school building to replace Wildwood and Fort River. But she said there may be questions why the maintenance should be done for even a year at Wildwood, observing that its sister building, Fort River, is being torn down, because it’s useless.
Mangano said he doesn’t believe the costs will rise beyond what is allotted, unless there is a boiler failure or air handling failure. “If something like that happens we’ll have to come back to you in an emergency fashion and figure out what to do,” Mangano said.
Facilities Manager Jeremiah LaPlante said even if the building were mothballed, the town would have to look at the fire alarm system, which has to be maintained whether the building is occupied or not.
A study is to get underway for the future of the location, coordinated by Planning and Economic Development Director Jeff Bagg. That has been delayed by the need for the town to focus on zoning related to the closing of the Hampshire College campus.
The Department of Public Works, as part of a project to build a new headquarters, might also be able to use the school as swing space, with some of the office staff and other employees relocating there temporarily. Mangano said there is no money yet set aside in the town’s operating budget to pay for these expenses, though.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the DPW Building Committee this month could decide, working with a design consultant, if using Wildwood School makes sense.
District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen wondered if town spending could be reduced, noting lights can be turned off in parts of the building and heating could be set at lower temperatures.
But the systems are complicated and it’s not easy to control the temperature in the building due to its age and the age of the mechanicals, Mangano said.
Mangano said there is $350,000 in “inactive articles” that might get the town through a second year, or until July 1, 2028, of covering costs of operating the building, even if no use is identified for it.
