Building committee chair Jenny Graham answers questions, concerns about Medford High School project

The recent decision by the Medford Comprehensive High School Building Committee (MCHSBC) to approve six designs for further study has blown up on social media as residents debate and worry about how the city plans to fund the project, among other concerns.

Gotta Know Medford sat down with building committee Chair Jenny Graham to address some of the issues being discussed.

The process so far

 Graham said Medford is still in the Feasibility Study phase, although at the second part. At this point, she added, the goal is to come up with one concept by June 10.

“The [Massachusetts School Building Authority] looked at our submission of 29 designs and asked us to move more quickly and narrow down the plan,” Graham said, adding the building committee appreciated the thoughtful feedback and so moved to dwindle down the prospective designs to the current six.

Graham said the MSBA will continue to provide feedback throughout the process, focusing Medford officials on things such as whether the educational plan fits the allotted space or if the space requirements for a program don’t fit.

Graham said the current feedback has been “cursory,” but added it’s been beneficial in moving the project forward. However, the MSBA feedback will become quite detailed as the process continues.

She said on April 27 the building committee will be discussing proposals by members about what to add or eliminate from the prospective project.

For example, Graham said, one of the items on the agenda will be parking at Medford High School. There are several variables involved that could change the project, such as parking at grade level like the current lot or adding a four-story garage that might allow for more space or even underground parking with a surface playing field above, like Waltham constructed.

All those options bring changes in the square footage of the building and surrounding area. And all those changes and variables bring different costs.

Graham said the SMMA architects will take all the changes and push the six designs through cost estimate exercises.

By June 10, the committee will pick one final design. At that point, Graham said, the entire concept will evolve into something more real and provide some idea of not only what the building might look like, but also what it could cost.

The MSBA will vote in August on whether to move the project forward.

“But that still doesn’t give us the final cost,” Graham said. “That’s just a rough estimate of what it will look like. We still have a lot of decisions to make, like will we heat the building with geothermal or heat like we do now, or where do we put the solar panels. We still have all that to look at.”

How will residents know the final cost?

Graham stressed Medford will not pay the $800 million estimates being seen on the six designs. She said between now and February 2027, Medford will receive a base rate for reimbursement from the MSBA and be allowed to accumulate more percentage points as it goes along.

She said the city’s even being reimbursed 53% by the MSBA for the Feasibility Study. And the city has also been working with the MSBA to do accelerated repairs throughout the district and been earning reimbursement for that, too.

“By the time we move into the construction phase, we’ll have yet another rate,” Graham said. “And between now and then, the city will be looking at its overall financial picture to create a path for the project cost.”

As for the total cost to Medford, Graham said it generally works out to the final cost subtracted by the MSBA reimbursement for the project. That number is then subtracted by whatever capital funds the city plans to put towards the project. That will equal what the taxpayer cost is and how much city officials will ask for in a debt exclusion.

“I know every one wants to know what the final number is,” Graham said. “I want to know, too. I also understand the discomfort, but if we act irrationally now, we will make mistakes. This is one of the biggest projects the city has done in 50 years. It’s a huge effort.

“And it’s going to cost the taxpayers money,” she continued. “We are not Waltham. They did their entire project without a debt exclusion. That is not us. But we can’t let fear of the biggest number drive this project because that’s not the number we’re going to pay. Stayed tuned for that number.”

Could Medford end up like Lexington?

Lexington Public Schools recently announced cuts in schools. The town is also in the midst of a high school building project.

The story took off on Facebook, where many residents worried Medford would wind up in the same situation — a new building at a large expense with no teaching staff.

Graham said she was aware of the Lexington situation and there are two things Medford residents need to understand.

First, she said, is that the funding for a new high school and the operating budget for schools are two different pots of money that come from different places.

Second, she said, the tough financial problems facing Lexington are happening in other communities, such as Winchester and Malden. Both of those communities have tried passing overrides to continue operating at full capacity, but they both failed.

“The cost of education is continuing to outstrip 2 ½%,” Graham said. “When that happens, you have two choices. The first is raise revenue, and you have limited levers.”

She said the biggest “lever” a community can reach for is property taxes, which is an immediate influx of revenue. The other, she said, is growth, and that’s not immediate.

“What’s happening in Lexington and Winchester and Malden is that they’ve hit an inflection point,” Graham said. “Their growth plans are not ready to support the changes that are required.”

And as overrides have failed, those communities are facing the consequences of cuts across their entire network, and that includes schools.

Graham added Lexington was able to pass a debt exclusion for its high school and that project is ongoing.

“Lexington is not alone in its budget woes,” she said, adding Medford isn’t currently in trouble because the city has been careful in how it’s spending its money, and voters also passed an override just a few years ago to help the schools.

But that also means very little. The School Committee is putting forward its budget, and as its vice chair, Graham said the district continues to try to align costs towards the goals of what it wants to accomplish in a year.

“Whether the city has the money or not to support that, the work continues,” Graham said. “Between now and June is going to be uncomfortable until we figure out what we’re going to do.”

The debt exclusion

No matter what the school budget ends up looking like, Graham said, the community must put forward a debt exclusion for the new high school. That, she added, will change the conversation about taxation in the city for a period of time while the money is being paid off.

Graham said she’s also heard the talk about how scared residents are about their tax bills pricing them out of a city they’ve lived in for years. But, she said, the city is looking at affordability and pursuing plans on how to protect lower-income residents throughout the school project process, such as with residential exemption.

Many communities, such as Malden, give residents who live in their houses year-round a break on their property taxes. The Medford City Council is currently looking at how to make that happen.

Graham added it’s important for residents to remember that a debt exclusion is much different than an override. The exclusion raises the tax levy for a finite period of time until a project is paid off and when it’s done, it comes back off the tax bills.

Plus, Graham said residents need to also remember that they have a say. They will likely vote in the spring of 2027 on the debt exclusion.

“We will be voting up to a certain amount,” she said. “The city has to guarantee payment on the debt. So the tax bills will change each year."

“A debt exclusion is not forever,” Graham continued. “That’s why it’s used more successfully statewide than overrides and why it’s also more successfully used for schools.”

Overall thoughts

With construction for a new high school slated for 2030, or even sooner, Graham said there’s a lot more work that needs to be done before getting to that point.

She said she hopes residents are truly aware of the fact that the high school building is way more than just a place for students to learn. She said MHS is also the home of the central administration offices, the Medford Family Network, the municipal employee child care center called Kids Corner, and the community pool.

Additionally, the district once housed the pre-kindergarten program in the building but had to shift it back to the other schools. The goal is to bring the program back.

“All these things need a home,” Graham said. “The building project looks to solve all those problems.”

Graham said it also helps alleviate space issues at the elementary schools, which could be at capacity soon. She said if that doesn’t happen, Medford is looking at elementary school renovation projects down the line.

“We have to do it now,” Graham said. “The funding is never going to be cheaper than it is now. If we wait, we’re going to see our elementary schools hit the threshold and then we’ll all suffer while we try to figure it out.”

Graham said having the high school project allows the city time and space to look forward to what the district needs for space.

What residents can do

Graham said since the high school project started, the committee has done anything and everything to make the process transparent and accessible for residents.

“My goal is to make the level in which people want to be involved possible,” she said.

That includes making all the building committee meetings available online at the Medford Public Schools YouTube channel, to open meetings on Zoom for resident participation, to provide a project website where all the documentation is available and constantly updated, and to continue to provide opportunities for information.

There have also been community information forums and tours of the high school (one held on March 28 with others scheduled in the future). A mailer is expected soon.

Residents have received QR codes, telephone numbers, and email addresses, all of which they can use for questions, comments, or even complaints.

And, Graham said, it’s all in service of giving Medford residents as much information as possible about the building project.

Aside from that, Graham said, the only thing she wants to do is thank the members of the building committee who have been working through the project,  all on a volunteer basis.

“Everyone has taken time out from their family and friends to make Medford a better place,” Graham said. “People have been very thoughtful. We may not always agree, but we want to make this the best project of all time.”

Gotta Know Medford is here to cover the people, decisions, and issues that shape life in Medford and are important to you and your family. We keep our reporting free for everyone, and reader support helps make that possible. If you value strong local journalism in this community, please consider becoming a supporter.