At April 24 meeting, MSAD 51 School Board votes to approve an option agreement on adjoining land purchase.
The 2.34-acre lot is the last undeveloped parcel adjacent to the Greely campus. The District will pay $10,000 to secure the option, an additional $46,000 at closing, and finance $700,000 at 3% interest. The purchase would add $140,000 to the District budget for 5 years.
A nine-unit duplex development on the site had been presented to Cumberland Planning Board for a sketch plan review in August of 2022. The Planning Board noted a number of questions, including buffering and density concerns, suggesting the applicant revise the plan and present at a future date.
Superintendent Jeff Porter supports the purchase, noting current campus overcrowding, safety concerns and a need for more open space.
Director of Finance, HR & Operations, Scott Poulin described the purchase as reasonable and appropriate. “We've had a number of opportunities over the years to purchase properties adjacent to the District. And each time we failed to do so. And we've regretted it each time over my 26 years here.”
According to Poulin, the purchase would not impact timeline for a new school project. “By the time you do a couple of tax anticipation or a bond anticipation notes and then enter into permanent financing. This property would be paid off before we started paying on the new school.”
Members voted 6-3 to accept the agreement, and then 6-3 to approve the referendum warrant and call a public hearing.
North Yarmouth representative Vanessa Bryant opposed the decision, stating, “I don't think we should even ask the voters for more money at this point, when we're going to be having a huge ask in a year.” Bryant thinks the money would be better spent if left in the general fund. She also questioned the need of the purchase, since the District has a lot of usable land with the option on 75 acres in North Yarmouth.
Cumberland representatives Kim Vine and Christina Mitchell echoed Byrant’s concerns. Vine added, “about 48% of me feels like it is our responsibility to put it to the voters so that they can decide. But by putting it to the voters, what we are saying is that we want to buy this property.”
Other Board members stated not wanting to have regret as reason to support the purchase. Cumberland representative Mike Williams feels the voters should have the option to decide.
North Yarmouth Representative Leanne Candura expects the land to be developed if the District does not purchase.
For North Yarmouth representative Tom McGuinness, campus overcrowding and lack of play space for students changed his mind. He also agrees the District would regret not taking the option, “$800,000 of priorities that we didn't advance in our budget, but we could advance those things next year, or the year after that, or the year after that. This is our one shot at this land.”
The Board said there are no plans at this time on how the District would use the property. The lot is too small to be used for a new school building.