By Drake Lucas
Staff writer
May 15, 2008 02:15 am NORTH ANDOVER — Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved construction of a preschool next to Atkinson Elementary School last night. The School Committee said the 10-room, $4 million preschool will relieve overcrowding at the elementary schools, which are so tight on space that libraries, computer rooms and art rooms are all being used as classrooms. School Committee member Charles Ormsby said the new school won't give the district all the space it needs over the next few years but that at least the space will replace classrooms lost when the Bradstreet School closed in 2005. "We're ecstatic," said committee member Chris Nobile when asked about the outcome. Although no official tally of votes was taken, most supported the preschool's construction. Committee Chairwoman Barbara Whidden described the school as a "very simple, one-story preschool building" that will include just the basics: classrooms, bathrooms and offices. Whidden said the state mandates that preschool be provided for special needs students where they can interact with typically developing peers. She said putting all classrooms in the same building allows classes to share supplies, equipment and specialists. The preschool could also be accredited, making it eligible for grant money from the state. The school can also save money by educating students with special needs within the district instead of busing them to another town and paying tuition. The proposal to borrow $2.1 million for the preschool and pay it back within the budget was supported by selectmen and the School Committee. The Finance Committee recommended against this plan because it said the town will have trouble paying for everything it needs in future years due to rising costs, including employee health insurance. The Finance Committee had a similar recommendation at Tuesday night's Town Meeting, recommending against borrowing $4.7 million to build a $5.6 million police station. Town Meeting voted to go ahead and build the police station Tuesday night. Some questioned whether the Bradstreet School, last used as a kindergarten three years ago, could be used for a school again. Whidden said the town's building inspector and contractors deemed the building unfit for educational use, and that the money to renovate the school would cost more than constructing a new preschool. She also said the building's design, including many flights of stairs, would not make the school accessible for some students with physical disabilities. Selectman Mark Caggiano said the town is planning to develop a plan on how to use or whether to sell its vacant property, including the Bradstreet School and the current police station building once the new station is built. Part of the money for the preschool was listed as coming from $600,000 the state gave to the town after Town Meeting approved a project to go in at 1600 Osgood St., the former Lucent Technologies property, which would include restaurants, businesses and apartments. Some residents asked whether that money is still available because Avalon Bay Communities Inc., the developer that was to build the apartments, may have backed out of the project. Selectman Chairman Mark Caggiano said the $600,000 is guaranteed by the developer even if the apartments are not built on the property. Last night was the second and final day of Town Meeting, which started Tuesday night. Attendance was low, with fewer than 150 people voting on some articles. More people voted for the preschool, although no official count was taken. Many left after the vote on the preschool was taken.
Also at last night's meeting: Town Meeting approved rezoning land on Route 125 across from Osgood Landing for commercial business use from Barker Road to the Haverhill line. Town Planner Lincoln Daley said the change will encourage more business to come to the area. The streets behind Route 125 that have houses now will remain residential. Town Meeting approved lifting a zoning restriction from a part of the town farm on Dale Street so fields can be built for youth sports. The land has a conservation restriction that will be lifted for two 3-acre parcels.
22. Borrow to build a preschool. Approved 23. Town and school consolidate administrative duties. Approved 24. Petition Legislature for exemption to prevailing wage on projects under $50,000. Approved 25. Enforce town bylaws. Not approved 26. Enforce 600-foot setback of wireless antennas. Not approved 27. Limit ability of town to take property by eminent domain. Approved with amendments 28. Expand Revenue and Fixed Costs Review Committee duty. Withdrawn 29. Accept Foulds Terrace. Approved 30. Accept Autran Avenue. Approved 31. Excavation and Trench Safety Board. Approved 32. Athletic fields on Town Farm. Approved 33. Stormwater Management and Erosion Control Bylaw. Withdrawn 34. Machine Shop Village Neighborhood Conservation District Bylaw. Approved 35. Allow more family suites in R-4 residential district. Approved 36. Amend sign and sign lighting regulations. Approved 37. Add Corridor Development District. Approved with amendments 38. Change zoning on Route 125. Approved with amendments 39. Change bylaw for off-street parking screening and landscaping. Approved 40. Allow Planning Board more flexibility for phasing schedules with developers. Approved 41. Change fire alarm rules description. Approved 42. Clarify definition of a structure. Approved 43. Limit size of retail establishment in Business 1 and 2 districts. Approved 44. Rezone two parcels on Turnpike Street. Approved 45. Rezone four parcels on Andover Street. Withdrawn
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