A special election to vote on funding for a new Minuteman High School will take place in Lincoln and the other 15 towns in the Minuteman High School district on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Polls will be open in the Smith School from noon to 8 p.m. and voting will be conducted alphabetically by last name using a single ballot box.
The election is the culmination of a long process to get approval from district towns for a $145 million school building on Lincoln land adjacent to the current building, which is just over the town line in Lexington. A majority of the votes cast throughout the entire district will determine the outcome.
Lincoln is one of six towns that opted to withdraw from the Minuteman district, but that withdrawal does not become effective until July 2017. However, the withdrawal also means that Lincoln will not be responsible for a share of the capital costs for the building as current members towns are. Thus, there are no direct financial consequences for Lincoln.
If the district-wide vote fails, Minuteman will lose a promised $44 million state grant, and member towns will have to pay $100 million for repairs to the existing building. In November of 2012, the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) placed Minuteman’s accreditation on “warning” status due to the building’s condition.
State law allows regional vocational school districts to secure local bonding approval either through their local Town Meetings or by a district-wide referendum. Minuteman initially tried the Town Meeting route but was unable to secure approval from one member town. Belmont’s Town Meeting voted against bonding for the project on May 4.
Earlier articles:
- Minuteman project going to district-wide vote
- MSBA gives Minuteman an extension to November 30
- Minuteman school building project hits another snag
- Lincoln withdraws from Minuteman school district
- Minuteman panel approves new regional agreement; Lincoln deal TBD
- Key votes on Minuteman slated for Monday night
- CapComm wrestles with Minuteman options
- A breakthrough and a hiccup for Minuteman
- Heated discussion over Lincoln and Minuteman
- Minuteman school project in a political and financial tangle
- Minuteman gets state funding for new school, now needs towns’ approval
