City Buoyed by Meeting about Fixes at Higgins

By Stacie N. Galang
Staff Writer

Salem News

October 31, 2008 05:21 am

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PEABODY — City officials expressed optimism yesterday after a state meeting about Higgins Middle School's upgrades.

Originally put on hold, Peabody's application for state School Building Authority funds moved one step closer to approval this summer.

The city got its chance yesterday to sell the project and make the case for support.

"I'm extremely pleased with the progress with the Higgins renovation project, and I am looking forward to working with the SBA to improve the educational opportunity at the Higgins and give the building a much-needed renovation," Mayor Michael Bonfanti said in a statement.

Bonfanti was accompanied by Superintendent C. Milton Burnett, School Business Manager Michael Musto, Principal Melissa Matarazzo and mayoral Chief of Staff Sean Fitzgerald. State Reps. Ted Speliotis and Joyce Spiliotis and a representative from Sen. Fred Berry's office also went to the meeting.

"The city is hoping to move very expeditiously with this process to the largest middle school in Massachusetts," Bonfanti said.

Higgins is the largest middle school in the state and was described on Peabody's application for funding as "in serious need of major structural repairs and other capital improvements to protect the long-term life safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors."

Authority spokeswoman Carrie Sullivan said the agency has asked the city to complete additional forms before moving the project to the next step.

"We felt that it was a productive meeting," she said. "Basically, we're going to continue to work with them to determine what the scope of the project is going to be. We do agree there is a need there."

If the agency's board moves the project closer to funding, Peabody would be invited to outline its plan and costs, Sullivan said. Already, 17 school building projects fall into that phase.

Sullivan said the next meeting of the agency's board is scheduled for Nov. 24.

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