In a constructive workshop on November 16, 2022, the Town Council and School Board of Cape Elizabeth jointly navigated through discussions stemming from the recent non-passage of the New Schools Bond referendum. Key community leaders, including Superintendent Christopher Record and School Board Chair Kimberly Carr, explored vital talking points ranging from immediate next steps, tax impacts, and bond optimization strategies to the Fiscal Year 2024 budget planning timeline and milestones. A notable consensus underscored the necessity to address the aging schools, with thoughts being shared on not restarting the process from scratch for fiscal prudence, but rather refining the path forward with inclusive, community-driven solutions. Ideas floated included the formation of a new Building Oversight Committee with representatives from both entities, hiring a third-party project manager to assist in community outreach and process review, and exploring nuanced, taxpayer-conscious funding strategies, such as creating a capital reserve fund or breaking the bond amount into sections. The dialogue, marked by a spirit of united community and leadership, further emphasized enhanced transparency, communication, and collaborative planning as vital steps towards addressing the community’s educational infrastructure needs in the immediate and longer-term future.
November 18, 2022 – Council and School Board begin paving way forward for school buildings project
Update: November 2022
