Good Morning, Burlington!

Another Tree Lighting is in the books. Hundreds of Burlington residents mingled on the Town Common last night, sipping hot cocoa and throwing foam axes as they waited for Santa Claus to come through (with a very flashy police escort!) and light up our trees for the holiday season. The event culminated with a fireworks show over Simonds Park. Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages later today for some more pictures and a video from the event!

Fox Hill Project Begins to Take Shape

The Elementary School Building Committee held a Community Forum last night, with a record low participation of one resident. Hopefully that means people are keeping up via Buzz summaries, and that those who aren’t will be watching the BCAT recording to learn more about the project. But, as with any public issue, now that the more controversial elements are in the rearview, engagement will understandably drop off.

The Community Meeting reviewed many decisions about this upcoming project that Buzz readers will recognize. The new building will:

• house Fox Hill only and will not be combined with Pine Glen.
• be two-story (not three, as was originally proposed).
• be located at the northern corner of the Fox Hill site, approximately 85 feet from the existing building.
• cost between $50 and $60 million, after rebates and reimbursements, and the debt service will translate to a little under $200 annually for the median taxpayer.
• feature geothermal heat pumps (with a non-gas-powered backup generator) for climate control; other sustainability features the team is looking into include rooftop solar panels and potential rainwater harvesting.

A general timeline was also shared:

• The preferred option and schematic report will be submitted to the state later this month and is expected to be approved by MSBA at the end of February.
• The Schematic Design will then begin and will take us through midyear.
• After the Schematic Design is approved by the MSBA at the end of August, the town will need to secure funding, likely in the form of a debt exclusion, which would require voter approval.
• The construction bidding process will likely take us to the end of 2025, and construction would be completed around 2028, though these are just estimates.

For more information about the history of school buildings in Burlington, check out this edition of Buzz In-Depth:

Buzz In-Depth

Buzz In-Depth | School Buildings Across Burlington

Nicci Kadilak • Sep 16, 2023

This is one in a series of in-depth explainers about issues affecting the town of Burlington. More will be added for Hive members to enjoy throughout 2024 and beyond. Burlington’s school buildings are top of mind in 2023 as the town decides how to proceed with its three oldest facilities to ensure its buildings are adequately serving the district’s 3,200 students. Now that the town has the potential to gain millions of dollars of state subsidies for one or two of the town’s elementary schools, the possibility of bringing others up to date is provoking much discussion, and the outcomes of these conversations will affect everyone living here for the next several decades—even those who don’t have children in the schools at the moment.

Read full story →

Today in Burlington

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

• 9:00 AM - Burlington Housing Authority will discuss the grant application so Burlington can continue sharing a Resident Services Coordinator with Winchester, as well as some funding the Housing Authority has been awarded. (Tower Hill Apartments Community Room)
• 9:30-11:00AM - 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group - Networking is the key to finding jobs and this is a great place to meet people! If you’re unemployed, consider joining this group. (Zoom; Register for Zoom Link)
• 10:30-11:00AM - Toddler Storytime - Explore new worlds and make new friends with your child 18-36 months. (Library)
• 11:00 AM - Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) will talk about how to become more known throughout the community, review a new Target program model, and more. (Virtual)
• 12:00-6:00PM - Cousins Maine Lobster Truck - Only a couple of chances left this month to get a taste of summer! (Wayside)

Sports and Activities

We have a couple of preseason games today ahead of tomorrow’s official season start. Boys’ hockey team hosts Concord-Carlisle at 3:30, and our girls’ basketball team travels to Lynnfield for a 4:00 game.

That’s all for today. I’ll see you tomorrow!

Nicci

Share this Buzz with someone whose kids might attend the new Fox Hill building when it’s finished in about five years.