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Diman seeks $1.5 million bond for building feasibility study
Diman sophomore Ronnie Aguiar shows a visitor the results of an experiment in his biology class. The vessel he holds contains a saltine cracker immersed in vinegar and agitated, much the way food is exposed to acide and agited in the human digestive system (Herald News File Photo | Jack Foley)
By Jo C. Goode
Herald News Staff Reporter
FALL RIVER — The Greater Fall River Vocational School District Committee approved bonding to conduct a $1.5 million feasibility study by the Massachusetts School Building Authority to start the process on whether to make needed repairs and expansion to the 50-year-old Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School or to build a new facility.
The vocational school committee voted unanimously last Thursday and now is in the process of notifying the Fall River City Council and boards of selectmen in Somerset, Swansea and Westport of the vote and for their approval.
Diman Superintendent Thomas F. Aubin said the communities have 60 days to vote, and if they take no action, the process can move ahead.
“We want to be fully transparent. This is going to be a huge investment, but the return is going to be incredible,” said Aubin. “We hope the political leaders and the communities realize the value as part of economic development in their communities.”
According to preliminary numbers from the MSBA, the vocational school district could see approximately a 73 percent reimbursement for the feasibility study costs.
In December, the MSBA invited Diman into its Eligibility Period of 270 days with the clock starting in July.
How the four communities will divvy up the cost of paying back the bond is determined by the same formula the school district determines the cost to educate students from the towns and Fall River, said Aubin.
Based on the formula and current data, it appears Fall River will be responsible for a little bit more than 66 percent to pay the bond after state reimbursement, Somerset is at nearly 13 percent, Swansea at 11.21 percent and Westport at 9.75 percent.
For years’ Diman’s educators have expressed concerns about the facilities size being too small to accommodate the approximately 1,400 students.
Recently, Aubin said they had to turn away prospective students with 800 applying for 375 spots.
In addition, as the school’s programs become more technologically advanced, equipment in the school’s technical shops are in need of upgrades in addition to the building itself.
Aubin said they are prepared for the long haul to improve education for their students, but the process is not quick.
The new B.M.C. Durfee High School project was invited into the MSBA Eligibility Period in January 2015.
The $263 million project just got the green light for its funding after voters in March approved a debt exclusion ballot question in a special election.