The White River Valley Herald

Rochester Selex Get Update From School Building Committee



When the Rochester Selectboard met via Zoom on Monday evening, June 22, Kathryn Schenkman gave an update on the work of the School Building Repurposing Team that was created at the Envision Rochester Workshop back in February. The committee has been exploring options for the town to acquire one of the two school buildings on the Rochester campus.

Schenkman noted that a letter had recently gone out to all participants in the February workshop, asking for feedback by July 15. The letter notes that the team members have a number of ideas about how best to re-imagine the campus to best serve students and bring economic benefit to the town through use of this asset. They want to learn about and incorporate local residents’ ideas as they move forward.

Thinking about both buildings and the grounds, what kinds of uses would they like to see on the campus? All input is welcome, and ideas should be sent to EnvisionRHS@gmail.com.

The committee intends to consider all input and consult with school leaders and technical experts in the process of developing a preliminary plan. They hope to have a document for comment by August 15. Following review of these comments, they will prepare a proposal to be submitted to the school board and the selectboard in September, which will prompt a broader and welcomed community wide dialogue about this project.

Other Business

The board approved two park-use applications—one from Pierce Hall to have a take-out barbecue on July 4, and the other from the White River Valley Players to have a display of “manikins” on the park for the Fourth of July weekend.

The board also approved a request to have a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the town office parking lot.

The board voted to renew the Mascoma loan note, after town clerk Julie Smith explained that this was an outstanding loan for work from the April storm and the bank recommended extending it for a year.

It was noted that approval had been received for the town garage to hook up to the village sewer system and Terry Severy had estimated that the work, which will begin on Monday, June 29, with Charles Smith doing the digging and concrete work, would take two days to complete. Joan Allen added that the state will not charge the connection fee since it’s a town building, thus saving $1,200.

Frank Severy reported that there will be a virtual meeting this Friday, June 26 with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Jaron Borg about the work to be done on Breakneck Brook. He has some questions he wants clarified and then the job will be put out to bid.

Severy also noted that voting on the proposed RSUD school budget will take place on Tuesday, June 30 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the former high school building, on the side next to SkateSpace. There will be signs directing voters where to go, masks and physical distancing are required, and hand sanitizer will be provided. The next regular Rochester Selectboard meeting will be on Monday, July 13 at 6 p.m. via Zoom.