Town Republicans collected 285 signatures on a petition asking for an alternative to the planned roof replacement project at Great Oak Middle School.
Voters will be asked May 18 to approve $1.8 million to replace the 20-year-old asphalt roof with a metal roof.
In addition, solar panels will be installed. Click here for information from the town on the project.
Click here for earlier stories.
The solar panel/metal roof project has the support of First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers. At a recent town meeting, residents in attendance voted to send it to referendum.
However, the roof project has been subjected to political bickering between Democrats and Republicans.
The Republican-controlled Board of Finance rejected the project, saying they wanted an alternative other than solar panels and a metal roof.
The Democratically-controlled Board of Selectmen, however, ignored the Finance Board’s vote. The project, the First Selectwoman pointed out, was researched by a bi-partisan committee and has been in the planning stages for years.
On April 21, the Board of Selectmen received a petition asking that voters be given a choice — replace the roof with asphalt, or replace it with metal and add solar panels.
Eighteen Republican officials from the Board of Finance, the Board of Education, the Republican Town Committee — along with members of “Keep Oxford Green” — submitted the petition, saying the project is too expensive.
“Yes or no” should not be the taxpayers’ only choice, said Tom Kelly, vice-chairman of the finance board. He said replacing the roof with asphalt would cost $400,000.
“The (school roof) committee chose not to make a recommendation for different kinds of roofs, they wanted to decide what was best for the people,” Kelly said.
Bob DeBisshop, chairman of the school’s roof committee, said April 15 that the benefits of the solar panel/metal roof project the far outweigh replacing the roof with asphalt.
The roof is asphalt now — and has been costly to maintain, DeBisshop said.
DeBisshop said the metal roof and solar panels for the middle school could present annual energy cost savings up to eight percent.
The $1.8 million price tag for the project would be offset by state grants and other reimbursements, decreasing the cost to taxpayers.
Lila Ferrillo, Board of Finance chairwoman, said if the project fails at referendum without any options, there will be no new roof for the school.
“Let the residents decide what they want,” she said.
Rose McKinnon, chairwoman of the Board of Education, said there are several other capital projects to consider for the school district.
“This is an investment and Oxford citizens should have a choice to do what is in the best interest for the town,” she said.
Selectman Dave McKane, a Democrat, questioned Kelly’s $400,000 estimate.
McKane said because the town currently has no bids or specifications for the asphalt roof, no one knows how much it could cost.
“If the petition moves forward, it sets a bad precedent for the town and presents a potential lawsuit,” he said.
Town Attorney Fran Teodosio said according to the town charter, the Board of Selectmen has 21 days upon receipt of the petition do decide to accept or deny the petition.
Drayton-Rogers called the petition “groundbreaking” and said she would like to take time to review it and fully understand its ramifications.
The Selectmen will discuss the petition again May 5.
