Building a Brighter Future for Southborough

Ten Things You Need to Know

What’s the cost implication of voting YES?

The total cost is $108.5M, but the town’s net share is $68.2M after state and federal contributions (a 45% reduction from initial projections). For the average Southborough home (valued at $1.175M), the highest annual tax impact would be ~$602 (around $50/month) in FY31 .The project also generates $1.2M/year in operational savings, helping offset costs. Current town debt is very low (we have no debt on current K-8 schools) so it’s a good time in our long-term capital plan.

 

What about “Plan B”?

Plan B is not up for a vote. A “no” vote really means:

• No grant funding (and moving to the back of the line to reapply, after much larger state projects like Brockton)

• No cost savings from a new, efficient building or related consolidations

• Multi-million-dollar spending on urgent repairs for Neary

• Additional multi-million-dollar updates for Finn in 5-10 years

• Future projects would likely be more expensive and take longer to fund​.

 

The ideas that some people are calling “Plan B” would not be ADA-compliant or actually meet students’ and teachers’ needs.

 

Additional thoughts on Plan B can be read here.

 

What about our vulnerable neighbors getting priced out?

We all want to prioritize our most vulnerable neighbors. The tax implications of a YES vote are negligible in the context of our overall tax obligations and rising taxes over time.

You can check this data for your own home with the tax calculator provided but the Neary Building Committee. It shows the small percentage of rising taxes due to a YES vote compared to our ongoing taxes in town. Additionally, Southborough has an abatement program. More information about the abatement program can be found on the town assessor's website.

 

What about Finn? Can we expand that building?

No. Due to the surrounding conservation land, we’re unable to expand outward. Building upward would require a completely new foundation, which means demolishing parts of a structurally sound building. Since Finn is also scheduled for other significant updates within the next 5–10 years, such a major disruption isn’t practical or cost-effective.
 

Will Finn be used for affordable housing?

No, it won’t. The town plans to retrofit Finn for future municipal uses. This is far more cost-effective for strengthening town infrastructure compared to building new facilities, and far more cost-effective than the multi-million dollar updates the school will need in the next 5-10 years otherwise. The cost of these plans are included in the budget.

 

Why combine Grades 2-5 into one building?

• Fewer transitions for students

• More collaboration between teachers

• Streamlined transportation and staffing (savings!)

• Greater equity in learning environments

 

Significant research shows that fifth graders are developmentally much closer to their younger peers than their middle school peers.

 

What about safety?

• In the building: Neary today has real, present-day risks, including asbestos and no fire suppression system​. The new building will also have state-of-the-art safety features for modern concerns about violence.

• On the site: The nearby capped landfill is tested quarterly under strict state environmental protocols. A planned vapor barrier in the foundation is a proactive safety step, not an implication of elevated risk.

 

What matters from an education perspective?

The plan for the new building includes:

• Modern classrooms with more flexibility
• Project-based learning spaces
• A media center, art rooms, music and language rooms, and performance spaces

 

It reflects priorities voiced by educators and school leaders throughout the planning process​​ but was designed very efficiently to minimize square footage.

 

I don't have kids in school; what's in this for me?

• Protect home values
• Strengthen community reputation
• Attract new residents and businesses
• Offer public-use space for town events and residents of all ages​.

 

Why now? Can't we wait?

We can’t kick the can down the road. Delaying means:

• No MSBA grant; we go to the back of the line for state funding (behind mega-projects like Brockton that may deplete funds)
• Construction and materials will likely become more expensive
• Critical repairs would still cost taxpayers millions, without solving the long-term problem

 

Neary repairs cannot be delayed.