Cape Elizabeth Maine – At a special business meeting on July 1, 2024, the Cape Elizabeth School Board voted unanimously to approve the Middle Ground design, which includes a new middle school and necessary upgrades to the elementary and high schools at a cost of $89.9 million.
A week prior to the vote, the School Board held a public forum at which the Middle Ground design was given overwhelming support by citizens of the town.
This compromise is the culmination of over a year and a half of work to gather data and input on the best way to address the ailing school buildings and the barriers to education that they present. With a price tag more than $26 million lower than the previously proposed construction project in 2022, Harriman architect Lisa Sawin produced the Middle Ground design to address the highest priority needs of the schools at a cost the community has signaled it would support.
The School Board noted that the facilities department will continue to address issues at the high school and elementary school that are more efficiently accomplished as single projects. “We understand we can’t do everything we need to do in one construction project,” said School Board Chair Elizabeth Scifres. Identified jointly by Harriman, Turner & Townsend Heery, and CESD Facilities Director Dave Bagdasarian, those projects outside the bond are carefully planned to stay within the budgeted CIP and maintenance lines over the next eight years. CESD will also apply for funding from the School Revolving Renovation Fund (SRRF), an MDOE program that offers zero interest loans that are partially forgiven (part grant) for qualifying improvements to school buildings. Cape Elizabeth has had great success in the recent past in securing these resources, but is not relying on that program to fund those projects.
Scifres went on to say, “The Board wanted consensus and compromise, but would not compromise on education. This approach achieves exactly that. This is a major step forward for our schools and our town.” In a written statement, School Board Vice Chair Phil Saucier said, “While this is a compromise plan, it really feels like a Cape Elizabeth plan”.
The Town Council will consider setting a public hearing for the School Board -approved resolution on Monday July 8th. After a public hearing and if approved by the Town Council, the referendum vote will be on November 4th.
For more detailed information about the Middle Ground design and next steps, please visit the CESD website. https://www.cape.k12.me.us
Elizabeth Scifres, School Board Chairperson
Cape Elizabeth School Department, 320 Ocean House Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME