WILBRAHAM — During a joint meeting on June 18, the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee and Hampden Board of Selectmen discussed the future ownership of Thornton W. Burgess School.
At the meeting, the Board of Selectmen inquired about the regional school committee’s plans for the school, following a formal letter that was submitted to request that the two boards meet to discuss the building’s future.
In his opening statement, Board of Selectmen Chair Don Davenport shared the history of the school. He stated that the building operated as a middle school for more than 50 years, highlighting that it was located on about 30 acres of “valuable” land and was “vastly underutilized” following its closing as a school in 2017.
Davenport stated that the HWRSD’s lease of the property expires in 2035 and noted “several options” of how the school district could approach utilizing the school, including moving middle school classes there, placing the innovation pathways program there, keeping the school in its empty state or ending the lease to return the property to Hampden.
He went on to state that the town of Hampden had requested an assessment of the school from Tighe and Bond to identify areas that require work, saying, “I think we owe it to the taxpayers of Hampden and Wilbraham to have a plan on what to do with this building.”
Superintendent John Provost later confirmed that Thornton W. Burgess School would likely only be utilized by the district until January 2025, stating that there was program at the school that couldn’t be relocated and ran until this time. Following Jan. 1, 2025, the school would only be used for administrative purposes.
Once the town receives the assessment of Thornton W. Burgess School, the Board of Selectmen would have to determine how to proceed with any needed upgrades to the building, as well as compare its cost to the $4 million needed if the town renovated its current town hall, Selectman John Flynn said.
When asked whether the board was in agreement with wanting control of Thornton W. Burgess for use as the town hall, all three members were in favor of dissolving the HWRSD’s lease. Selectman Craig Rivest noted that he was not opposed to the school district keeping control of the property if it was fully utilized, emphasizing that there wasn’t “greater value” for either party controlling the school as long as it was used.
While a formal vote was not taken, all School Committee members reacted favorably to the possibility of returning Thornton W. Burgess to the town. However, concerns were raised about whether this decision should be delayed.
Member Sean Kennedy questioned whether it was “a little premature” to move forward with discussions to return the school to Hampden before a firm plan was approved by Hampden and Wilbraham concerning the district’s use of the building. He highlighted that returning the building could narrow future options for HWRSD in addressing overcrowding in the schools.
Similarly, member Michael Tirabassi also stated he had “reservations” about returning the school before the school district had a plan moving forward for reorganization. He emphasized that the school should be returned if the district did not plan to use it, but that more planning should occur to decide before the school is returned.
In response, School Committee Chair Michal Boudreau stated that the discussions were in the “exploratory phase” and that the two parties will need to further discuss the changes that would occur if the lease was modified.
Ultimately, the two parties agreed that Provost and Hampden Town Administrator Brian Domina should connect to discuss potential next steps with Thornton W. Burgess School.
Recognition of Bill Bontempi
Follow discussions of Thornton W. Burgess School, Boudreau presented member Bill Bontempi with a plaque recognizing his commitment to the School Committee during the previous nine years.
“I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Bill Bontempi for his dedicated service over the last nine years, for commitment and contributions have greatly benefited our school community and we’re immensely grateful for your hard work and your dedication,” she said.
Bontempi thanked his fellow School Committee members, stating that the June 18 meeting would likely be his last, but that he would still be living in town. Bontempi did not seek reelection during the recent May 18 election.
Resident Timothy Collins was voted into his former position. At this election, incumbent Lisa Murray was also reelected.
