By Beth David, Editor
Acushnet and other towns that contract with Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School will vote on 11/18/25 on whether or not they will fund their share of the $288,743,683 building project at the school. The Mass. School Building Association is expected to reimburse the district $129,675,235, leaving $159,068,448 for the district members to pay.
Acushnet’s share will be $55.4 million. Other communities are: Carver, $26.2m; Lakeville, $39.6m; Mattapoisett, $8.8m; Rochester, $28.8m.
The costs to repair the existing building are not much better: Acushnet, $46.8m; Carver, 22.1m; Lakeville, $33.5m; Mattapoisett, $7.4m; Rochester, $23.3m.
The projected tax impact for individual residents in Acushnet is $722 per year, based on an average single family home assessed at $471,732.
Old Colony opened in 1975 and is limited by its physical footprint. The school needs to expand to provide students with their preference for vocational training, according to the presentation.
The district wants to expand its offerings to add Plumbing, HVAC-R, and Dental Assisting.
The school’s students have worked on projects in all the member communities, including building COA sheds in Acushnet and Rochester; installing electric car charging stations in Acushnet; and a variety of other projects in each town.
“With the addition of Plumbing and HVAC programs, Old Colony will function as a fully integrated construction workforce, providing even greater benefits for our towns and taxpayers,” reads the presentation. “Our vision for the new school is to create a modern facility designed to integrate vocational and academic learning while empowering students with voice, independence, and exploration.”
The presentation notes that demand for quality vocational technical training is at an all-time high.
“Old Colony aspires to provide vocational training beyond the traditional school day in collaboration with work-force partners to support economic development,” reads the presentation. “Equipment upgrades and appropriate space are a necessary component for this work to effectively take place.”
The presentation outlines maintenance efforts at the school in recent years, but space constraints are evident throughout the programs.
The school is significantly under the minimum square footage recommended per pupil for every program.
Other problems include: storage space; staff using supply closets as offices; piping and fixtures starting to rot and fail completely; inoperable floor drains; drinking water contamination; plumbing issues; flooring that needs replacing in the gym and kitchen; carpeting that needs replacing; no climate control in some areas.
Restrooms are not ADA compliant, and the lavatory ratio for female to male students is not equitable. To access the lavatories, female students in non-traditional shops have to walk twice the distance of their male counterparts.
Outside, asphalt and paving are in need of considerable repair. Windows and doors are original to the building and have failing seals that increase energy costs.
The masonry outside is deteriorating; parking is insufficient; and parking lots need stormwater and site drainage upgrades as parking lots flood up to 10 inches.
The new building will be on the same site, next to the existing building and will not disrupt teaching and learning.
-
- The site plan for the proposed new Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School that will cost $288,743,683 to build and requires a vote from district member communities that will take place on 11/18/25. From page 38 of Old Colony presentation.
The new building will allow the school to add more than 200 students. This year, 300 students applied for 150 spots.
The new building will have sustainability features including: stormwater managed on site; a minimum of 50% of energy will be from renewable sources; 75% of regularly occupied spaces will have views to nature and have natural light; landscape design will include outdoor classroom, 100% native planting.
The town will vote on 11/18 to see if voters will approve the district’s borrowing of $288,743,683, reduced by any grant money received.
Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. All precincts vote at the Acushnet Elementary School, 800 Middle Road. If you have any questions about the status of your voter registration, call the Town Clerk’s office at 508-998-0215.
The presentation is available online at https://oldcolonybuildingproject.com
The Acushnet Selectboard held a joint meeting with the Finance Committee and Old Colony representatives on 9/9/25. It is available on the town’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDMeZelpyBk
The SB also held a meeting for the public with Old Colony representatives on 10/27/25, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuxvyC7WiV8
•••
Click here to download the 11/6/25 issue: 11-06-25 AcushSTM
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal
