Glover School Hurricane-Resistant Windows Will Cost Less Than Projected

School Building Committee authorizes Dr. Maass to authorize new windows and supports up to $84,000.

The Glover School Building Committee voted unanimously Thursday night to authorize School Superintendent Dr. Greg Maass to approve a new window design that will cost no more than an extra $84,000 and possibly only $63,000. The large new windows throughout the building were an important part of the aesthetics of the new $25 million school. Project architect Douglas Roberts with JCJ Architecture told the building committee the change to small windows would have no significant impact on the aesthetics of the building. Recently the architects and engineers for the window manufacturer found that some of the windows were too wide to withstand 120-mile-per-hour wind gusts. At the last meeting, Roberts said the windows that could sustain 120-mile-…

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Glover Neighbors Told They Are On Their Own To Fight For Blasting Damages

Almost 30 claims have been filed against blasting company for damages to homes on the same ledge as the new school.

The attorney for the town and school district was blunt Thursday night with his advice to the neighbors of the under-construction Glover School. He said they should "pool their resources and hire an attorney." Neither the school district nor the town government was able to do more to resolve their complaints about cracked walls and foundations than it already has, said Pat Costello, a partner with the Boston firm of Louison, Costello, Condon & Pfaff. "The town has done all it can and more," Costello said. He said he understood how frustrating the situation is for the homeowners. "We want to work with you to bring closure for you on these issues," Costello said. But when pressed on what the town might do, he said it would hurt the process …

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Superintendent To Meet With Glover Neighbors

They will talk about damage claims from blasting.

School Superintendent Dr. Greg Maass will hold another meeting with neighbors of the Glover School Thursday night to discuss their claims of damage to their homes that they say was caused by the blasting at the site of the new school building. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Village School. At the meeting two weeks ago, the superintendent promised to advocate for the homeowners personally with the blasting contractor, the general contractor and the insurance companies for the blasting contractor and for the school district. Maass said there is no “blueprint” for the school district to aid those homeowners whose homes have been damaged and the school district does not have the funds to pay the claims. More than 20 neighbors along…

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Finance Committee OKs $15 million for Transfer Station and Landfill Cap

Town faces $630,000 in fines from state if project is rejected again this year.

Calling the new plans for a scaled-down trash transfer station a “pickup truck” as opposed to the “Cadillac” it approved last year, the town's Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the residents who attend the Town Meeting in May approve spending $15.1 million to cap the 60-year landfill and replace the 54-year-old transfer station. The vote completes all of the items for the Town Meeting, where the focus will be on two high-ticket projects: the landfill and a new Glover school. Jack Buba, who led the opposition against last year's 10 capital projects, has already indicated he will oppose the expensive projects. The committee heard a detailed analysis of the proposed $15.1 million project that would install a rubber and …

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MSBA Approves $10 Million for New Glover School

New 79,000-square-foot elementary school would house both Glover and Eveleth students.

The Massachusetts State Building Authority announced Wednesday that its board of directors had approved a decision that would provide Marblehead with $10 million to replace Glover Elementary School. Wednesday's announcement came just two days after Finance Committee members agreed to recommend that Town Meeting approve spending $15.8 million to rebuild the Maple Street school. According to MSBA officials, the next step in the process is for the town and the state's building authority to enter into a Project Funding Agreement that will detail the project's budget and set forth specific terms and conditions under which Marblehead will receive its grant funding. The new Glover Elementary School will be 79,108 square feet and will be built on …

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Second Push For Override Wednesday

Override supporters will continue to highlight why the school needs to be updated.

The Glover School Building Committee will once again offer tours of the school Wednesday.  Organizers hope by giving the tours, people will understand why an override is needed to rebuild the crumbling school. Tours will run Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. During their first day of tours on Saturday, three neighbors and one perspective student and their family turned out to see the school. The Glover School's main building opened in 1916. Walls and doors are cracked. The school's heating and ventilation systems are so old replacement parts aren't available anymore. Classrooms are too small, according to state standards. The schools' two buildings are not handicapped accessible. There's no cafeteria and student bathrooms are located in the …

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Supporters Will Highlight Why They Say an Override is Needed Today

Tours of Glover School offer a glimpse into building's issues.

To give residents a glimpse into the life of a Glover School student or teacher, the Glover School Building Committee will give tours of the school today. "A couple of years ago when funding was needed to repair the Village School, the school was opened up for tours," said School Committee and Glover Building Committee Chair Patricia Blackmer. "It seemed to be a good way to reach out." Today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents are welcome to join a tour of the antiquated school led by Blackmer, architects working with the building committee and PTO parents.  "When people walk in, they are going to see nothing has changed," Blackmer said. "For people who have never been in the school, we want to show them what it's like and why we are looking…

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Local Scribes

'Marblehead Thinks' About Philosophy

Author Marietta McCarty and the 'Marblehead Thinks' project join forces

Have you ever wondered how philosophy could save your life?  Philosophy professor and award-winning author Marietta McCarty has written a book to answer that very question. Five months ago, the Marblehead public schools, Abbott Public Library and Spirit of '76 Bookstore agreed to collaborate on a project that has come to be known as 'Marblehead Thinks.' The project is a town-wide initiative centered on McCarty's book "How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most." The project committee has organized a number of meetings and events, each one focusing on a different chapter from McCarty's book. These events, held at the Abbot Library, have been free and open to the public regardless of prior participation.  McCarty defines …

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Voters To Decide Tax Hike For School Project

The override would hike the average tax bill by about $126 a year for 20 years

The fate of one of Marblehead's oldest schools – dating back nearly a century- is in the hands of town voters. They will decide on June 15 whether to raise their own taxes to build a new Glover Elementary School. It's a property tax override that has a lot of people talking. Before heading to the polls, here's what you need to know. The Glover School's main building opened in 1916. Walls and doors are cracked. The school's heating and ventilation systems are so old replacement parts aren't available anymore. Classrooms are too small, according to state standards. The schools two buildings are not handicapped accessible. There's no cafeteria. Town Meeting overwhelmingly approved a plan to build a new Glover School on the same site. It would…

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