Assabet Inspection Cost to be Spread Among Member Communities

The estimated for a $62.4 million renovation to the Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School will be born by the seven member communities.

“The cost will just be assessed to the member communities," said Superintendent-Director Mary Jo Nawrocki of the Assabet Valley School District.

Nawrocki declined to comment further on the matter, saying she had not heard anything officially from city of Marlborough officials. She said no cost had been given for the inspection of the project, which is being done in Marlborough. She did not specify the mechanism that would be used to have the member communities pay for the inspections nor whether it would increase the cost of the project.

The Marlborough City Council voted Monday night to not waive the roughly $500,000 in inspections that will be necessary for the renovation. Municipal inspection fees for public works project are often waived, according to a letter from Nawrocki to the council.

Councilor's reasons for not waiving the inspection fees centered around it putting an unfair burdon on Marlborough for a cost that should be born by all the communities with students at the school.

“Our people here in Marlborough should get paid for employing that service," said Councilor Richard Jenkins. “This small incremental increase will be absorbed by the whole."

The Assabet Valley Regional Vocational School District is made up of the communities of Berlin, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Northborough Southborough and Westborough.