DEP Dismisses Both Wilmington High School Appeals

Hearings Officer Tim Jones allowed the town's motion to dismiss and in turn cancelled the scheduled filing dates and the October 25 hearing date.

For the latest information on this and other breaking news stories, check back with Wilmington Patch and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Department of Environmental Protection hearings officer Timothy Jones allowed the town’s motion to dismiss both appeals of the Wilmington High School project, ending the latest effort by residents to stop construction of the new school. Jones made the ruling in a document sent to the involved parties dated Thursday, October 4. “The Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Summary Decision are both allowed,” said Jones. “All pending deadlines are vacated and the adjudicatory hearing is cancelled. By October 12, 2012, I will issue a recommended final decision that explains in detail the basis for this ruling and…

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You Ask... Patch Answers

Could High School Construction Begin Despite Appeals?

If you have a question for You Ask...Patch Answers, e-mail matthew.schooley@patch.com.

It’s possible that the town could opt to begin construction work at the high school site despite a pair of appeals that currently have halted the project for the time being. But would the town take that step?  One Patch reader wants to know if construction could begin sooner rather than later, though the answer isn’t completely clear as of right now. “I wish to clarify an issue discussed at the pre-screening/pre-hearing conference,” Hearing Officer Timothy Jones wrote in a letter to involved parties earlier this month. “The Town queried whether it could commence work on aspects of the project that were located outside of wetland resource areas and buffer zones…I find no reason why such work cannot commence, assuming no work is performed …

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Appeal Filing Dates Changed, But Hearing Remains as Scheduled

The tentative October hearing date for the high school project is still on track as parties on both sides continue pushing forward in the dispute.

Several of the filing dates for appellants of the high school project have been pushed back, but the tentative hearing date remains the same unless a settlement is reached beforehand. Kevin MacDonald, the spokesman for one of the appeals, said he recently had a lengthy conversation with Wilmington Town Counsel Dan Deutsch as a part of the required good faith settlement talks. Board of Selectmen chairman Mike Newhouse, however, said that while he is hopeful those talks are successful, the town continues to prepare for the event that the process continues right up until the scheduled October 25 hearing. “Like everyone, at each milestone I am hopeful an opportunity presents itself to be done with this process,” said Newhouse. “But I continue …

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Appeals Report Possible Today Following Tuesday's Hearing

A DEP hearings officer could lay out the issues that will be discussed and the timeline moving forward for the high school appeal as early as Wednesday.

All involved parties in the Wilmington High School appeals spent about three hours in the same room on Tuesday discussing what issues will be debated during the adjudication process. During a pre-screening conference at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Wilmington office, each side made their case in front of hearings officer Timothy Jones, who will issue a conference report as early as Wednesday. That report is the next important step in the process as it will lay out which issues will be discussed moving forward and will also lay out a timeline for the appeals. “I think the meeting went as expected,” said Board of Selectmen chairman Mike Newhouse. “I thought the hearings officer was thorough in obtaining what …

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Matt Schooley

6:39 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012

I will have a full story Thursday morning on the conference report, but in short as of right now that information about construction isn't completely true. The hearings officer issued no ruling about the town beginning construction, and the town would have to file to the DEP if they want to attempt to do so during the appeal. And to answer your final question, no construction has begun on the …   more ›

Timeline Established for High School Appeals

All parties involved in the high school dispute will be in the same room on Tuesday during a pre-screening.

For the first time since two appeals were filed in July that delayed high school construction, a timeline for the process is beginning to come together. All involved parties are scheduled to be in one room on Tuesday during a pre-screening conference that is held by the Office of Appeals and Dispute Resolution of the Department of Environmental Protection. Appealing residents were asked to submit what pieces they are specifically concerned about to a hearings officer in advance of the session. A date of October 25 was established for the appeal to be heard in the event that the dispute is not resolved prior. Town Manager Michael Caira said the appeals will likely not be solved by that October date. During Tuesday’s conference, any other …

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Town Officials Say Appeals Are a 'Very Costly Step'

Board of Selectmen chairman Mike Newhouse was among the town officials who offered a strong reaction to the appeals that will delay construction the new high school.

With construction on the new Wilmington High School again delayed, parties on both sides of the debate continue to voice strong opinions in the wake of the latest set of appeals. Friday was the deadline to file an appeal of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Superseding Order of Conditions, and two appeals reached town officials by the close of last week. As a result, construction will not begin on Tuesday as originally planned, and delays and cost increases are both possible. “Obviously I am disappointed,” said Board of Selectmen chairman Newhouse. “These folks are intent on being disruptive and obstructionists. That is my opinion. At this point we have to let our attorneys and technical people prevail on the appeal. What’s …

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Town Receives Favorable Bond Rating for New School

Standard & Poor rated Wilmington 'AA+' which allows the town to save on interest costs, Town Manager Michael Caira said.

Wilmington officials received good news recently as the town was given a favorable bond rating for funding of the upcoming high school construction. Standard & Poor’s assigned the town a ‘AA+’ long-term bond rating, which is the second highest mark given out. As a result, Town Manager Michael Caira said the interest rates came in at 3.28 percent. According to Caira, if the town received a ‘AA-‘ rating, for example, it would have meant about $670,000 more in interest. The Town Manager said a ‘AA’ rating would have meant about $300,000 in additional interest costs. “We continue to enjoy the most stable financial position in our town’s history,” said Board of Selectmen chairman Michael Newhouse. “It is a testament to the consistency with …

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New High School Would Cost Between $72 and $80 Million (VIDEO)

School officials release initial cost projections for possible construction, and residents would be responsible for about $40 million.

Wilmington school and town officials revealed cost estimates on Tuesday for a potential new high school construction project. During the third of three public forum sessions on the topic, Town Manager Michael Caira said conservative estimates have the project costing between $72 and $80 million. If the project is approved, the local share would be $40 million with the state reimbursing the rest. “The numbers are preliminary, and I can’t express that enough,” said Caira. “You deserve an actual number and eventually you will have that. When we have that, it will go through the same process a normal budget does.” If the Massachusetts School Building Authority approves the project, two meetings would need to take place in town – a special town…

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