Update: The Bond Passed

This page will be refocused towards monitoring the construction process.

Note: Vote Tuesday Nov 7th at Swift Community Center, 7am - 8pm. Bring Photo ID.

Bond Debate

A neutral list of arguments from each side of the school bond debate.

State Refund

Up to 55% of the $150M will be paid by the state. The town has a limited window to take advantage of the full rebate (returns to 35% base rebate).

Tax Increases

Even with the refund, tax rates are expected to cumulatively rise 26% over time to meet the town budget, putting the town among the nation's highest tax rates.

School Improvements

School investments are long overdue, the current plan will address overcrowding and building condition issues.

Plans Go Beyond True Needs

Overcrowding and building condition issues can be addressed with a smaller bond, the current plan includes "nice-to-have" amenities.

21st Century Learning

The new schools will be designed to support 21st century learning, including flexible spaces and modern technology.

Student Outcomes Already Excellent

Student outcomes are already top tier nationally, and the new schools will not improve them significantly, if at all.

"Newer and Fewer"

Maintaining fewer buildings will reduce maintenance costs and improve efficiency. It also helps maximize the state contribution.

More Costs To Consider

Increased traffic will cost families time and money. Eldredge will be town owned and still incur cost. Operational costs of new plans are still unclear.

Town Financial Plan is Strong

The plan allows the town to manage the debt effectively while still meeting all other financial obligations.

Town Will Be Stretched Thin

The town will have limited future borrowing capacity without impacting its credit rating. Other budget line items will have limited flexibility.

$150M Project Components

Frenchtown: $57M New Build

A new Frenchtown Elementary School will be built on the same site to accomodate 550 students, grades 1-5.

Addresses Overcrowding and Building Condition

School is at 121% capacity already and uses portables. It has the worst facility condition index at 54% (lower is better).

Traffic and Neighborhood Impact

Frenchtown road back into route 2 may see significant congestion. Neighbor impact has been underestimated given proximity to nearby homes.

Hanaford: $57M New Build

A new Hanaford Elementary School will be built on the same site to accomodate 550 students, grades 1-5. There has been discussion of making this an add/reno instead.

Addresses Overcrowding

The school is at 134% capacity and already uses portables.

Traffic and Neighborhood Impact

Significant congestion and neighbor impact can be expected. Previous assessments suggested wetlands not appropriate for building.

Meadowbrook: $16M Renovation

Renovations to the existing Meadowbrook Elementary School to support grades PK-K.

Addresses Overcrowding and Expands Pre-K

Prepares East Greenwich for the scenario where publicly-funded pre-k becomes the norm.

Money Better Spent Elsewhere

Meadowbrook is in decent condition and this money would be better spent on other projects.

Eldredge: Decommission

Decommissioning of the existing Eldredge Elementary School, future use TBD but may be a community learning space.

"Newer and Fewer" Adds to State Bonus

Reducing the number of schools makes the project eligible for an additional 5% of state aid.

Town Will Still Pay To Maintain Building

The town promised to keep the building, so taxpayers will pay to maintain it whether it is a school or not.

EGHS: $20M Addition/Renovation

Changes to address locker room / gym upgrades, auditorium, special education, and site improvements.

Has Broad Community Support

Benefits the most people and invests in the flagship of the EG school system.

Some Changes Go Beyond Needs

Suggested changes like "recharge spaces" replacing hallway lockers could be cut to reduce costs and focus on true needs.

Calculate potential tax impacts of the planned town budget

Step 1: Enter Assessed Value

Use your 2023 home tax assessment value from the town, or the most recent value you have. Make sure to use your assessment value, and not your home's market or appraisal value.

Step 2: Click Calculate

Calculate the estimated change in your taxes by 2030 and 2040 based on the town's own data for the $150M bond scenario, including average expected increases in assessed value, tax rates, and total taxes from all line items. Note that percentages are relative to 2023, not an unofficial plan B.

Enter Assessed Value:

Calculate

Construction Impact

The proposed new builds may have significant neighborhood impact. The distance to abutting homes is less than that of the Cole construction, which saw extensive damage to homes and a lawsuit settlement.

Vibration Impact

Large equipment such as vibratory rollers and pile drivers can cause vibration damage hundreds of feet away. The town indicated no plans to do pre-construction home surveys or add vibration monitoring, leaving it up to the contractors to police themselves.

Nuisance Impact

Construction equipment noise can easily exceed 90-100dB, causing significant nuisance to nearby homes. Strongly perceptible vibrations can also be felt when certain equipment is in use. Many states and federal bodies have guidelines that limit the use of certain equipment this close to homes.

Frenchtown Potential Damage Zones

Hanaford Potential Damage Zones

The impact circles drawn above represent roughly the same distance that damage and nuisance occurred with Cole and are centered on the proposed construction zones. For a more detailed analysis on vibration levels caused by construction equipment, see chapters 6 and 7 of this document as well as the FTA document linked above.