Magnet school to be discussed by board tonight

Selectmen tonight are expected to further discuss the now-controversial $40 million Windham Interdistrict Magnet School, with supporters and critics of the plan expected to fill Windham Town Hall.

The board of selectmen meets at 7 p.m. inside the town hall meeting room, which is located inside town hall at 979 Main St.

While it isn’t a public hearing on the proposal, residents for and against the proposal can speak during the public comment portions of the meeting, which are at the beginning and end of the meeting.

Windham First Selectman Jean de Smet said her office has received a number of phone calls from people on both sides of the issue.

De Smet said the magnet school proposal on tonight’s meeting agenda will feature discussion and possible action regarding the magnet school location.

She added the purchase and sale agreement for the land would be included in tonight’s discussion.

The agreement – which selectmen received Sept. 1 just prior to the start of the meeting – would have been to purchase the 20-acre parcel from Homesite LLC for $238,000 – or $11,900 per acre.

The proposed location of the $40 million Windham Interdistrict Magnet School – an environmental and cultural theme magnet school – is a 20-acre parcel off Tuckie Road near Carriage Lane in the area of Old Mansfield Road and George Street.

The committee had set a target price for purchasing the land at no more than $750,000.

Selectmen postponed action on the contract agreement Sept. 1 and voted unanimously to offer the seller of the parcel – Homesite LLC – $1,500 to hold off on selling it to another buyer, a provision on the unsigned contract.

Selectmen also included in the Sept. 1 postponement that the $1,500 would be deducted from the purchase price.

In 2006, Windham taxpayers voted to fund 5 percent – or $2 million – of the total cost of the school, while the remaining $38 million would be funded by the state.

Opposition to the project has been led by John French, a Willimantic resident and former board of finance member, who started a petition against the magnet school.

Residents from Carriage Lane also attended the Sept. 1 meeting to express opposition to the proposed plan.

The petition asks for a revote of the 2006 vote and would require a special referendum, since the deadline to put a question on the November ballot was Sept. 3.

French conducted a petition drive last Saturday at Jillson Square from 9 a.m. to noon for and said, previously, he would present the petition to the board of selectmen.

However, de Smet reiterated this morning that a petition by residents would not legally put the question on the ballot and whether to put the proposal on the ballot is a board of selectmen decision.