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Posted by together4needham on December 4, 2009
by Jessica Rudis
Globe Correspondent
The push to renovate Needham’s Newman Elementary School reaches an important juncture Tuesday when voters are to decide whether to raise property taxes to cover the town’s share of the $27.4 million project.
Click here for the rest of the story on the Boston Globe website
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Posted by together4needham on December 4, 2009
By Steven Ryan
Wicked Local Needham
Needham – The blue and “gold” signs and car magnets have sprinkled lawns throughout town. “Together for Needham,” the signs declare, as a parent group works to gather support for an override to renovate the town’s largest elementary school.
A failing heating and ventilation system at the school is the impetus for the renovation, which also includes improvements to the school’s kitchen, auditorium and administrative space.
Click here for the rest of this story on the Needham Times website
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Posted by together4needham on December 4, 2009
By Steven Ryan
Wicked Local Needham
Everything you want to know about the Newman School renovation.
Click here for the rest of this story on the Needham Times website
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Posted by together4needham on December 1, 2009
By Staff reports
Wicked Local Needham
Needham — The last time the town of Needham had a “double” election was on March 2, 2004. On Tuesday, Dec. 8, Needham will have another “double” election — a Special State Primary and a Special Town Election.
The Special State Primary is a partisan election, and voters must take the ballot in which they are enrolled. If the voter is Unenrolled (aka Independent), he or she has the choice of selecting the Democratic, Republican or Libertarian Party ballot. If you are Unenrolled and vote in the primary, you can select the ballot of your choice and will remain Unenrolled.
The Special Town Election is a debt exclusion ballot question and is nonpartisan; thus every voter will receive the same ballot.
Click here for the rest of this story on the Needham Times website
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Posted by together4needham on December 1, 2009
By Staff Reports
GateHouse News Service
Needham — Superintendent Dan Gutekanst and the Needham School Committee will hold an Open House and Tour of the Newman School on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. until noon. The open house will provide an opportunity for parents and community members to view all areas of the school and to ask questions about the proposed repair and renovation project which will be placed before the voters on Dec. 8.
Tours will be scheduled at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m. Citizens are encouraged to visit the school.
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Posted by together4needham on December 1, 2009
By Steven Ryan
Wicked Local Needham
Needham —
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from a previous version and contains new information about the level of damage done to the sidewalk.
A steam pipe broke at the Newman School during the late afternoon on Nov. 9, knocking out heat in the school. The pipe leak caused the earth to deteriorate some to create a hole in the sidewalk, according to Superintendent Dan Gutekanst.
The pipe was repaired overnight, which allowed heat to return to the school the next morning. The break happened after classes were dismissed.
Click here for the rest of this story on the Needham Times website
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Posted by together4needham on November 3, 2009
In a Special Town Meeting on November 2nd, members voted to appropriate money for the renovation of the Newman School. With very little discussion, the vote was unanimous in favor of Warrant Article 14 to appropriate $26,962,128 of the total project budget of
$27,412,128 for the Newman School renovation project.
This appropriation is contingent upon voter approval of the debt exclusion ballot question on December 8. The article’s request for authorization differs from that which will be presented to the voters ($27.4 M) because $450,000 of the total amount was previously appropriated at the May 11, 2009 Special Town Meeting.
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Posted by together4needham on October 16, 2009
More great news for the Newman renovation project! This week, both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve the Newman project!
In making its decision the Board of Selectmen stated that it was both timely and fiscally responsible to undertake the project in its current proposed scope.
All five members agreed that the plan offered a long term solution to the many serious facility issues Newman is facing. They also indicated that the other repairs and upgrades slated to be addressed during the necessary HVAC replacement and renovation have been on the town’s Capital Improvement Plan for more than a decade.
Selectman Dan Matthews addressed critics who have said the renovation contains too many “frills.”
“We’re talking about basic features for a school of almost 800 kids,” Matthews said. “This is an important project for the town.”
The next step in the process is approval at Town Meeting on November 2nd. In order to ensure this, we need your help.
Here are 3 simple things you can do:
Together we can help Needham create and maintain a strong, viable public facilities infrastructure which will benefit each and every resident in our town. Together we can ensure that these renovations will make Newman a cornerstone of learning and community for the next 50 years!
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Posted by together4needham on October 14, 2009
By Steven Ryan/Staff Writer
GateHouse News Service
Needham — A $27.4 million override to renovate the Newman School, $8.6 million of which will see state reimbursement, is now headed to the voters after the Board of Selectmen unanimously took up the School Committee’s recommendation for the request.
All five members of the Board of Selectmen voted in favor of including the override question as part of the Dec. 8 state primary election to fill the U.S. Senate seat of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
“The time has come we support this project, and for this project to go to Town Meeting and the voters of Needham,” Selectman John Bulian said.
Click here for the rest of this story on the Needham Times website
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Posted by together4needham on October 7, 2009
By Steven Ryan/Staff Writer
GateHouse News Service
Needham — The Newman School renovation is now several steps closer to realization after school officials recommended a $27.4 million ballot question and the state offered to reimburse the town for $8.6 million of that amount.
“This is the right project at the right time and especially with the MSBA behind us, it’s a no-brainer,” said School Committee Chairman Joe Barnes before the committee voted on the override recommendation at its Oct. 6 meeting.
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