Abandon penny-wise, pound-foolish construction
Every time the town tries to save money by cheapening a project, it ends up paying more in the long run.
The May 8 article about the Thoreau School fire stated that “crews added a wing in 1994, and the building was overhauled in 2006.” In fact, the original building was demolished and completely replaced. The 1994 building was overhauled.
Why did a 10-year-old building need to be overhauled? I’m glad you asked.
To save money and avoid a debt exclusion override, the town scrimped on the project. The result was a building that needed significant repairs in short order.
But that isn’t really why I’m writing.
The town envisions significant upgrades to the physical plant for fire, police, and public works in the coming years. As we plan these projects, it is important to remember that every time the town tries to save money by cheapening a project, it ends up paying more in the long run, as it did with the Thoreau addition, as it did with the high school renovations in the late ’80s and early ’90s, as it did by voting down the override vote for the Acton Public Schools master plan in 2001. The last one was the worst decision.
Instead of replacing/renovating the elementary and middle schools for $72 million (less 50% state reimbursement), we spent about $150 million doing things piecemeal.
As we move forward, let’s not forget the lessons of the past.
Fred Wersan
Southfield Circle
The author is former chair of the Alcott-Thoreau School Building Committee.
