[UPDATE] The Green Mountain Unified School District Bond Vote did not pass – The vote was 808 “Yes,” 855 “No.”
CHESTER, Vt. – The Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 Chester Selectboard meeting heard from member of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) school board Josh Schroeder about a proposed $20 million bond for system updates and building improvements at Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS). Also in attendance to speak on the issue were Keith Hill, GMUHS Principal; Todd Parah, Facilities Manager at GMUHS; and Mike Davey, of Energy Efficient Investments.
The bond, should it pass, would update several systems at GMUHS, Chester Andover Elementary School (CAES), and Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES), including converting the boilers from oil to propane, painting ceilings and removing asbestos, and replacing windows. GMUHS would use the majority of the money, almost $16 million of the bond, and CAES and CTES the other $4 million. A full list of changes can be found on the TRSU website at www.trsu.org.
The update would upgrade systems just over fifty years old, features that Schroeder said were “high end” at the time, but have since become obsolete. “A lot of the systems,” said Schroeder at the meeting, “are nearing end of life.” The entire project would most likely take two to three years, said Schroeder. According to Davey, if the renovations were done piece by piece, the project could take up to 40 years, so the bond was drafted to maximize efficiency.
The bond issue was not on early voting ballots, so anyone wishing to vote on the bond must go to the polls on Nov. 8.
The next Chester Selectboard meeting will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Chester Town Hall.