Middle School roof repair goes on Town Meeting agenda

The roof of the Wareham Middle School is leaking and in disrepair, and will cost almost $9 million to fix. 

Voters at this spring’s Town Meeting will decide whether the School District gets money toward the repairs.

At its Thursday, Feb. 2 meeting, the School Committee voted to place an article about repairing the roof on the Town Meeting agenda. 

Superintendent Matthew D’Andrea said that the roof is in poor condition, especially “section F,” which is over the auditorium.

“If it does not get supported, it really puts us in a bad position,” he said. 

Repairs on section F are scheduled to start this summer. The town appropriated $1.5 million for a partial repair of section F at last fall’s Town Meeting.

According to D’Andrea, the Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse a portion of the total cost of the roof repair project. 

The $1.5 million partial repair project is not eligible for reimbursement.

The estimated cost of repairs to the remainder of the roof, sections M through V, is $7.49 million.

According to D’Andrea, $2.23 million will be reimbursed by a grant issued by the School Building Authority. 

After reimbursement, the town will only pay $5.25 million, or about 71% of the total cost.

Repairs for the remainder of the roof are planned to begin in summer 2024.