Winthrop Elementary School has always been the target.

Hamilton Consolidated School Project & MBTA 3A Timeline

2021
District references this 2014 HW Executive report https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1696615372/hamilton/kqa5tvjjfphgva7ngd5l/HamiltonWenham_ExecutiveReport_2014SchoolDistrictMasterPlan_2September2014.pdf

Pg. 244, Section 3 “The Master Plan Committee discussed the merits of small schools as the district is currently configured. A good deal of study data exists that describes advantages and cost effectiveness of small schools. In their “Statement of Interest” HW-Elementary-Project submission to the MSBA.

APRIL 6, 2021
PB reviewed and discussed the possible zoning map change. Possibility of not renewing Winthrop lease are discussed.
– https://www.hamiltonma.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/04-06-2021.pdf

MARCH 2, 2022
MSBA voted to authorize the HWRSD into the eligibility period for the Cutler Elementary School. Patrick Reffert on MBTA housing mandate https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/chronicle-transcript/2022/03/31/local-officials-push-back-on-
proposed-mbta-communities-housing-mandate/7220581001/

MAY 16, 2022
E. Tracy emails the teachers from Winthrop and Cutler to ask for volunteers to join the School Building Committee. His email reads “As you know, we have been approved to begin to explore the possibility of combining the Winthrop and Cutler schools into one building.”

JUNE 2022
Superintendent’s Entry Plan Report page 23 “Strengths” bullet 4 is “Small Schools”
Superintendent’s Entry Plan Report

JULY 1, 2022
The School Building Committee form is due to the MSBA listing all the members.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022
E.Tracy shares an email update with the district regarding the special town meetings in Hamilton and Wenham on October 1, 2022. Two of the articles combine for $1.25M to begin to fund the feasibility and schematic design portion of the “Cutler/Winthrop” school project. “The project intends to combine the Cutler and Winthrop elementary schools into one school.”

OCTOBER 1, 2022
Hamilton Town Meeting @ 25 mins $1.25M is authorized for feasibility study. Discussion of possibility of Buker host pre-K and K and the new consolidated schools host 1 – 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgzgTNZNYLg

OCTOBER 1, 2022
Wenham Town Meeting $1.3M is authorized for feasibility study. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIonXCHkkLg

JANUARY 30, 2023
E.Tracy has the first meeting with the entire School Building Committee to start discussing the Cutler School Project. (Delayed one week due to snow).

MARCH 7, 2023
Planning Board submits to the state the Action Plan for MBTA Communities. The Business (B) district zoning at present allows site plan approval for residential in our downtown district but it requires a site plan approval. Our proposed amendment would allow for by-right residential. The B district expansion is being proposed to extend to a nearby elementary school campus which may soon be surplused and the school would be consolidated elsewhere. The proposed Business district expansion would add a nearby elementary school campus. Additional land area would include land in close proximity to remain within the 1/2 mile distance maximum. State and local infrastructure is likely underqualified to adequately handle expanded traffic demands (roadway capacity of SR 1A), drainage, septic system/wastewater considerations, pedestrian improvements, accessibility, local retail improvements, etc.

JULY 25 2023
Planning Board meeting notes confirm that the state has approved the towns interim action plan for MBTAs community zoning and would need to have zoning in place by the end of 2024.

SEPTEMBER 19 2023
Planning Board meeting: @ 1:58 “it’s not pie in the sky. It’s already built in. That ship has sailed… so that piece of property (Winthrop) is becoming available”. https://www.youtube.com/live/BgeobCG39Ig?si=MWl77jb9XVdgZchs

NOVEMBER 13, 2023
School Building Committee (SBC) Meeting 11 https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1703086744/hamilton/vurn8vjnentb7xfdryl2/2023-11-
13HWESSBC-MtgMinsApproved12182023.pdf Joe Domelowicz notes that because the current Wintrop and Cutler sites and buildings are leased by the Town to the School Department, the sites would ultimately need Town of Hamilton
approval. Both sites are under a current 10 year lease agreement that ends on 6/30/25. Joe notes that the Winthrop is a much more valuable site than for schools and the Town of Hamilton is expecting to use that site in hopes of retrieving the property back from the School Department. Joe Domelowicz inquires what options are there if we remove the Winthrop School from the site options. JCJ noted that the project would have demonstrated to the SBC both town’s and the MSBA that they presented options of available sites, and one of the two was removed by the governing body, indicating that the Cutler would be the only other feasible site for the building. Joe Domelowicz noted that because we understood this project in the pipeline at the time of the agreement the desire of the Town was to regain the Winthrop site back at the expiration of the agreement and not renew.’ JCJ noted that in order for this project to be permitted under this MSBA program for funding, an agreement would need to be in place that would provide the School Department the site for the
life of the project , which the MSBA considers 50 years.

NOVEMBER 20 2023
HDC, Select Board, Planning Board Joint Meeting & Master Plan Review.
https://www.youtube.com/live/bVDJSqdZc6I?si=cTP-lJA2GVBpTqBC

• @ 50 mins HDC presents request for $125k for consultant for form based code
• @ 1:46 presentation on form based code
• @ 2:20 suggestion is made that complying with MBTA zoning is an “impossibilty” due to infrastructure. And that form based code could show “good faith” with the state. “Zone it but you don’t have to build it”. Its mentioned that Patrick Reffert (town planner) indicates the state did not voice opposition to form based code.
• @ 2:22 It’s suggested that pushing forward with form based code consult on Winthrop property may “kill” the school project “before it gets off the ground” because residents will view it as a sign the town has already decided.

DECEMBER 19 2023
Planning Board Meeting
https://www.youtube.com/live/kM9nskEIQds?si=AQgcsXtZiF3IbqOe

• @ 1:47 SB “has all the power to make the decision”
  First “Community Engagement Meeting was not held until January 2024 FEBRUARY 16 2024 Per Superintendent’s Weekly Update “On 1/22/24 the HW Elementary School Building Committee (SBC) voted unanimously to REMOVE the 430 student design options from being studied in the Preferred Schematic Report Phase. The 430 student enrollment option was a combination of grades 3-5 at Cutler, Winthrop and Buker. After further review, the SBC noted that this enrollment option would create classroom space and logistical issues for grades PreK – 2…”

MARCH 18 2024
https://www.youtube.com/live/kOuabh7R8PI?si=UftEDgO2sRVvU6Pi

• @ 32 mins suggestion is made “We’d like to pick a site tonight. We could extend both leases but I’d rather not”
• @ 37 mins Tracy indicates townspeople should really understand MBTA 3A and be given a chance to voice their opinion
• @ 39 mins it’s suggested “we could make a statement and pick Cutler”
• @ 41 mins it’s suggested “We need to send a message we are trying to redo our downtown” Motion is made to “recommend the Cutler School”

MARCH 25 2024
Per E.Tracy EMAIL: At the March 25 th School Building Committee Meeting here was the exchange noted in the
minutes (ETs is Eric Tracy, JD is the Town Manager): 7:28 PM Hamilton Select Board Update for Lease Agreement

▪ ET notes that HWRSD presented to the Select Board on 3/18. Subsequently, HWRSD sent a letter to Hamilton Select Board with the request of extending the lease of the Cutler and Winthrop sites. The Town elected to make a long term lease with the Cutler site only. This is expected to be a 50 year lease, which will require Town Meeting to extend lease. ET noted we still need Winthrop to operate while the Cutler would be built so the Town has agreed to extend the Winthrop property lease for 5 years. Once confirmed, we can bring to MSBA because they are asking for a 50 year lease from the Town. Hamilton will craft a letter confirming the language of the vote taken by the Board.

▪ JD noted that the Select Board knew that this was coming. JD noted that the 4 highest scores, voted on by the SBC, were on the Cutler site. The Select Board needed to vote upon the leases for the timeline of the MSBA, and also in order to support a new school project in the District.

▪ Carolyn Shediac makes a motion to eliminate W3.3 and W3.4 from the SBC’s recommendation for remaining design options, as a result of the Hamilton Select Board vote on intent to extend the Cutler site lease for 50 years. • Allison Goodchild seconds the motion.

• VOTE: 12 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain, 2 not present.