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MassDevelopment In The News
School Housing Project Gets State Bond Financing
August 11, 2004: The Nantucket Independent, by Mary Lancaster
Through a coordinated effort by the town, the Nantucket Education Trust, Nantucket Bank, the state, a local builder and local sub-contractors, the island's first, year-round, school staff housing unit should be ready for occupancy this December with the rest to follow on an approximate monthly schedule. Three weeks ago, MassDevelopment, which functions through the governor's office, granted NET a $2.5 million, tax-exempt bond to finance most of the 12-unit project on Cow Pond Lane off First Way.
"The initial money for infrastructure - roads and sewer - came from the Tupancy-Harris Foundation and the Community Preservation Committee," explained school facilities manager Jack McFarland, who is a member of NET's building committee. The nonprofit Trust is in charge of financing and constructing the $2.8 million development. "The bond was issued the third week of July. Nantucket Bank is acting as a processing agent, and they were able to begin to extend money before the loan closed.
"Three houses are framed, and the foundations are in for all but the 12th house, which is being held up by the state archaeologist because we still haven't agreed on a buffer to the Indian living quarters found on the site," McFarland continued on Friday. "The school committee finally approved selection criteria, and now the Trust will really work to select applicants. [The Trust] has contracted with local builder Duane Jones, who will build and manage the property. He is a respected builder. We just ordered five kitchens today from Marine [Home Center]."
Trying to Keep the 'Keepers'
The NET became involved with the project to help defray the numbers of qualified faculty and administrators the school system has lost over past years because of the island's high cost of living. Though he is credited with being a driving force behind gaining MassDevelopment's bond, NET Treasurer Douglas Williams, modestly shrugs off his accomplishment.
"Everybody in the town has been very helpful," said Williams, who was also instrumental in obtaining all the project's permits. "Since we are all volunteers, we were just not familiar with the bureaucracy involved with something like this, but anyway, we got it done.
"If you ask enough questions, somebody eventually says 'Why don't you make a phone call...?',"Williams said of getting state financing. "I'm retired, so I had enough time to be a pain in the neck."
Local Project, Local Workers
Jones, whose wife Helaina, is a teacher at the elementary school, has been building on the island since the 1980s. His work includes the Trading Emporium buildings on Amelia Drive, Nantucket New School, started in 2001, renovation of the 'Sconset Casino and many private homes. He takes pride in having a qualified, all-local crew on the school project, listing his men as doing all the carpentry (these are not modular units); Bob Lapiene laying foundations; Ken Wiggin for heating and air-conditioning; Mike O'Keefe as plumber; and Ellis and Schneider for the electrical work. Most of the units have attics, and all have basements.
"Myles Reis has been so good to us, doing the water and sewage, grading, parking and the roads," said Jones. "Marine Lumber has been absolutely great to this group - we bid on this last July, but they held all the prices. To keep the money on-island and employ local help for a local project is important. I'm going to drive by that school job till they bury me. It's sad when everything is subbed-out. We're all in this for the long run."
The bond will be repaid through rental fees, said NET President Bill Tornovish, Jr., however NET still needs to raise an additional $200,000 to begin repaying the bond and keep the rentals affordable. The money will be provided through fundraisers, the first of which begins soon. Tornovish said NET will sell sidewalk bricks in three sizes, and will happily accept donations if someone wants a building named after them. The bricks will cost $100 for a four-by-eight-inch size, $175 for one measuring eight-by-eight-inches and $250 for a large brick. They will all carry names or messages chosen by the purchaser, with the smallest brick able to hold 28 letters. The largest can accommodate a company logo.
Lay of the Land
The property, adjacent to the high school football field, measures 40,000 square-feet, and was sub-divided into four, 10,000 square-foot parcels that will each hold two buildings and a duplex. The land is leased from the town for 35 years at $1 per year, with a clause to renew when the lease expires. Brush cutting began last April, followed by the required archaeological survey. This April, local permits were approved and ground-breaking took place on May 26.
There will be three one-bedroom units renting from $965 to $1,045. People applying for these units may not earn more than $47,100 annually under median income guidelines set for the county by the state for affordable rentals. The seven two-bedroom units will rent for $1,540 to $1,585. The two three-bedroom units will fetch $2,185, however, there is no income limit on the two and three-bedroom units, and two-bedroom units may be shared by unrelated staff. The leases will run one year at a time with a maximum stay of three years, during which time tenants are expected to find long-term housing.
The finalized applicant criteria, approved by the school committee on July 27, uses a weighted lottery system. The lottery and name drawing will be conducted in a public setting by an independent auditor under contract with NET, said Tornovish. The list of selected applicants will be made public by NET two weeks prior to the lottery drawing. One exception to the lottery allows the superintendent of schools to name an administrator who needs housing, provided that during a given year, no teachers meet eligibility requirements and there are units available.
The point system ranges from ten, the most points, for high demand teachers such as science, math, special education and technology instructors, to nine for an administrator, five for a teacher, three for an teacher assistant, two for an administrative assistant, and one for all other staff. One point will also be granted for every year of seniority or years of service within the system, as well as for every year a person is in the lottery but not chosen. Any two individuals willing to share a two-bedroom unit will earn five points. Non-eligible applicants include those who own property on or off Nantucket, part-time school employees and employees on probation for any reason.
© Copyright 2004 Nantucket Independent.
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