Quinn window funding hits snag

The Massachusetts School Building Authority(SBA) toured the Quinn School this week and set the reimbursement rate for the window replacement project at 47.64%. The total cost of the project has been estimated at $1.3 million. At the 47.64%, the state authority would pay $619K of that total. According to the SBA Statements of Interest FAQ's,

The reimbursement rate is determined by the MSBA based on the three socioeconomic factors, as set forth in the MSBA's statute: (1) per capita income as a percentage of the state average, (2) per capita equalized assessed value as a percentage of the state average, and (3) percentage of the school population eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. In addition to the socioeconomic factors above, there are various categories of incentive reimbursement points for which a district may be eligible based on a determination by the MSBA.

The snag comes because the Town Meeting article approved the appropriation for the project contingent upon a state reimbursement of at least 50%. The town must now go back to the Town Meeting and get approval to spend the funds with the lower amount of state reimbursement.
Another development on the school capital improvement ...

... front is that the official touring the Quinn school related that the SBA would not accept a grant application if the funding for the project was approved before the submission of an Statement of Interest with the SBA. This is apparently a change in past practice and casts doubt upon the Town Meeting article for school boiler replacement which is on the warrant for June 2nd. Mr. Cordeiro, the school business manager, is seeking clarification on this issue with the SBA.