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Alec Watt indicated that as a committee, their mandate was to come <br /> up with the best solution for the overcrowdedness problem. They <br /> hadn't taken that report into consideration but they had made long <br /> range plans. Their mandate was to come up with a plan to house <br /> students. <br /> Dr. DeMoura responded to Deidre Greelish's concern for lack of <br /> need. He stated that some members of the Finance Committee, as <br /> well as Board of Selectmen toured the buildings last Friday and <br /> noticed that every room was being utilized in both schools. He <br /> stated that even areas that no longer have programs were being <br /> used. They had finished their tour in the cafeteria of the Coombs <br /> School and had to leave for lack of room. The members from the <br /> Finance Committee that attended this tour were Tony Gallo, Ed <br /> Baker, and Al Polsi. Mr. Gallo stated that his impression of the <br /> tour was that there was overcrowding problem and in one particular <br /> room he didn't think two more children would be able to fit. <br /> Carole Dunivan indicated that she felt the town's people should <br /> decide. Mr. Polsi responded that the Finance Committee needs to <br /> look at the capital expenditures of the whole town. Dan Goggin <br /> asked whether the School Committee had taken a position? Carole <br /> Dunivan indicated that they want the additional classrooms. They <br /> voted that there will absolutely be no portable classrooms. Ed <br /> Baker agreed that we have to build a school, but he did not feel <br /> that it was an emergency to do it this year. Dr. DeMoura indicated <br /> that it took four years to build the Coombs School and five years <br /> to build the Middle School. <br /> Ms. Greelish was still concerned with the fact that the School <br /> Building Needs Committee was asking the Finance Committee to make <br /> a lot of decisions in a big hurry. The school was built for 600 <br /> children. There will be 575 children next year. She asked whether <br /> this decision had to be made in March or could it wait until the <br /> special town meeting the night of the annual town meeting? Dr. <br /> Demoura indicated that, yes the school was built for 600 students, <br /> but at that time the school did not have such programs as English <br /> as a second language, foreign languages and special education. <br /> Alec Watt indicated that it would be the fourth graders most likely <br /> to move into these additions. He also indicated that the committee <br /> did not have the money to have actual plans drawn up with actual <br /> figures and actual square footage. The figures they have are those <br /> of the architects. A general contractor and an electrical <br /> contractor would still need to make their bids. John Ferriday <br /> stated that the Finance Committee is now being asked to either <br /> recommend or not recommend in March the 15 room addition. He <br /> stated that we do not have the architect's plans, or the actual <br /> square footage. If they build this addition and then request an <br /> elementary school in 1996, he felt that we could not be fiscally <br /> responsible. Tony indicated that he also felt the School Building <br /> Needs Committee should also investigate these unanswered questions <br /> and get back to the Finance Committee with exact answers. <br /> Deidre Greelish then recommended that the Selectmen change the date <br /> of the special town meeting to the special town meeting the night <br />