Saco residents will vote in June whether to approve school construction project

Residents of Saco will decide in June whether to approve two new schools.

A question on the June 11 ballot will ask voters to approve a nearly $140.8 million project that would create two school buildings – a Pre-K and kindergarten building and a first through fifth grade building- on Portland Road (Route One) near the Mill Brook Business Park.

The project, if approved, would be funded 72 percent by the state and 28 percent by the city. The Saco School Department has received funding that would cover $101.4 million of the $109.3 million proposed first through fifth grade building, with local tax dollars covering the remaining nearly $8 million. The second building, which would house Pre-K and kindergarten, would cost about $31.4 million and be funded locally.

The City Council on Monday voted unanimously in a 5-0 vote to send the question to the June ballot. Councilor Joshua Parks was absent and Councilor Marshall Archer, as Deputy Mayor, was filling in for Mayor Jodi MacPhail.

Councilor Phil Hatch said he recently visited Gov. Fairfield School and was “absolutely appalled” at the crowded conditions.

“Our kids deserve more than what we are giving them,” he said.

He said he was in favor of the proposed school construction project, and he looked forward to going to an open house for the new buildings.

“This is a great moment for the City of Saco and we should all be very proud,” said Hatch.

Former Mayor Don Pilon said when looking at the project, there needed to be a distinction between wants and needs, and he thought the proposal could be reduced about $5 or $6 million.

“There are just so many dollars that you can squeeze out of the people here in town,” he said.

Councilor Michael Burman said he could never have imagined the city would get the opportunity to build two new school buildings with the state paying 72 percent of the cost. He said he moved to Saco because of the good schools and small town, family atmosphere. He said the proposed construction project was an example of how Saco supported its children and their education.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at [email protected].