ROCKLAND, Maine — The Rockland area school board will be asked Thursday evening to approve $8.1 million in energy conservation projects that are key to the consolidation of buildings within the district.
Siemens Energy has submitted its final list to Regional School Unit 13, which serves Rockland, Cushing, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Thomaston. The consolidation of the high schools and middle schools is planned to be done during the summer in time for the start of the next school year.
The proposed projects would be paid for with a projected $181,000 in annual energy savings as well as with savings from efficiencies in having fewer buildings.
Upgrades at Oceanside High School East in Rockland will cost the most for any single building, with energy conservation projects estimated at $2.5 million.
Oceanside will be the single high school in the district starting in September. Currently, RSU 13 has two high schools: grades sophomore through senior at Oceanside East and eighth- and ninth-graders at Oceanside West in Thomaston.
The current Oceanside West building, the former Georges Valley High School, will become the district’s single middle school. RSU 13 currently has two middle schools: Rockland District Middle School in Rockland and Thomaston Grammar School in Thomaston.
In November, the RSU 13 board gave approval to the concept of consolidating the schools.
At Oceanside East, the proposed replacement of the ventilation system is estimated to cost $1 million. Some of the other large projects include $549,000 for replacing windows, $331,000 in heating system upgrades and $231,000 in lighting improvements.
Siemens is recommending $1.4 million in improvements to the Oceanside West building, which will become Oceanside Middle School.
Another $2.3 million is proposed to be spent on similar improvements at what is being called Rockland Elementary School, which is the South School and Rockland District Middle School.
Another $1 million is proposed for the current Thomaston Grammar School, which is proposed to become the Lura Libby Elementary School. The existing Lura Libby school in Thomaston is proposed to be closed under the consolidation plan. Thomaston voters are scheduled to vote on whether to close Lura Libby on June 14. If residents vote to keep Lura Libby open, additional costs would be borne solely by Thomaston.
Less than $100,000 in energy improvements are proposed at the Cushing Community School.
No improvements are proposed for the Owls Head Central School or the Gilford Butler School in South Thomaston. The consolidation plan calls for closing Gilford Butler by the start of the 2017-2018 school year.
The board also will be asked to approve the hiring of architects for potential renovations and construction. The administration is proposing hiring WBRC Architects and Engineers of Portland and Bangor to assist in the classroom configuration to handle the planned movement of students. Merriam Architects is being recommended to work on the possible expansion of the Owls Head school if Gilford Butler is closed and those students relocated to Owls Head.