School building feasibility study to cost $2.75M

Residents will be asked to commit $2.75 million to the Middle School and High School building project’s feasibility study at the November Special Town Meeting.

As the School Committee explores options for long-term maintenance or a reconstruction of the secondary education campus, residents will get their say on whether the building project moves forward on Nov. 23. Weston must approve funding for a feasibility study by Dec. 28 to remain in the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) project pipeline.

The School Building Committee finalized the funding request on Sept. 10. Initial estimates for the feasibility study shared by the committee in the spring were around $3 million. Committee members, relying on the expertise of Dan Colli, the principal of architecture firm Perkins Eastman, agreed the new estimate would be less of a financial burden on the town while still providing enough money to attract top-level architects and designers.

The feasibility study will assess existing building conditions, explore options for repairs or construction, develop and evaluate alternatives and recommend a cost-effective and educationally appropriate solution to the MSBA’s board of directors, according to the agency.

Ken Newberg, School Building Committee chair, said the appropriation creates a pool of money for the design team to access. It is also possible that there will be unspent funds because the amount is “essentially a not-to-exceed number.” There was some discussion of appropriating $2.5 million, but members said that might deter some firms from bidding. 

“That’s the biggest mistake; is to shortchange designers because that’s when those problems will just affect the entire project,” Newberg said. “This is setting aside money we draw from, and ideally there will be a bunch of money leftover, but we just have to make sure we have enough, so we don’t have to go back and ask for more.”

The funding source will be determined later, as the state has yet to verify Weston’s free cash reserves for fiscal year 2027. The town had nearly $11.9 million in FY26, according to the state Division of Local Services. Borrowing is unlikely as the town could find a combination of other funds if free cash is not yet certified, according to Town Manager Leon Gaumond.

An affirmative vote on the feasibility study will fund the owner’s project manager, a designer, environment and site testing, contingency funds and schematic design. It does not, however, select a final plan, approve the building project, authorize construction or approve a project budget.

Approval and completion of the feasibility study will push the project through module four of the MSBA’s building project pipeline – it is currently in module one, the eligibility period. Modules two through four encompass the formation of the project team and completion of the feasibility study and schematic design.

The MSBA will reimburse a minimum of 31% of all eligible project costs, and there are opportunities to pick up additional reimbursements throughout the project, according to Newberg.

In the run-up to Town Meeting, the School Building Committee is also preparing for several community outreach opportunities. Board members will be presenting updates to their respective committees over the next two months, with two major presentations planned for the Finance Committee and Select Board.

The project will come before the Finance Committee at its Oct. 8 meeting and a Select Board meeting, likely on Oct. 13 or 20. Both boards will offer a positive or negative recommendation ahead of Town Meeting. Warrant article language will be finalized in the coming weeks.