Residents form “Vote Yes for Bay Path”

Ballot Question Committee

REGION - Several residents from the Bay Path High School region have banded together to form a Ballot Question Committee entitled “Vote Yes for Bay Path.” The purpose of the committee is to advocate for the passage of the addition/renovation project currently proposed by the Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District.

The “Vote Yes for Bay Path” committee is chaired by Alfred Beland of Webster. The Vice-Chair of the committee is Thomas Mroczek of Webster and the Treasurer is Robert Wilby of Paxton.

The committee supports the $73.8 million project as the most reasonable approach to insuring that Bay Path will continue to function as a top-notch vocational high school for the coming 50 years. The project is 64% funded through a Massachusetts School Building Assistance grant. The remainder of the funds will be raised through 30 year bonds paid for by the ten member communities.

Failure to approve the project at the district-wide Special Election to be held from 12 Noon to 8pm on Thursday, October 4th in each of the district’s ten towns will result in the loss of more than $46 million. Contrary to statements made by opponents of the project, the school district will not be able to do repairs piecemeal over the next twenty years funded by the state.  The MSBA repair program does not operate in the manner described by the project’s critics and Bay Path would have to file a new Statement of Interest and wait for an invitation to apply for another comprehensive repair program.

There is no question that the project is needed and is the most cost effective answer to a long list of capital deficiencies and inadequate educational space. Failure at the ballot box does not mean that district taxes won’t go up. Rather, the required improvements at Bay Path will most likely be made without state financial assistance.

The “Vote Yes for Bay Path” committee is seeking donations to get the message out to voters that the Bay Path High School addition/renovation projects is the best way to insure that Southern Worcester County is home to a highly effective vocational education option for the next 50 year. To donate to the committee and support the effort to rehabilitate Bay Path please send checks made out to “Vote Yes for Bay Path” to Robert Wilby, 11 Tanglewood Road, Paxton, MA 01612.