WESTPORT — Construction of Westport’s new school is in the early stages but now comes word of another costly school project.

At their November 6 meeting, the Board of Selectmen took steps to place an article on this spring’s annual Town Meeting warrant to cover the cost of a new roof for the Westport Elementary School.

The School Committee believes the project will cost around $1.8 million and hopes that the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay just under half of the cost. That would leave town taxpayers to cover the rest.

Selectmen were advised to put the question on this year’s Town Meeting so as to meet a September 2020 School Building Authority feasibility study deadline.

The School Building Authority is also paying just over 40 percent of the cost of the new school, located next door to the elementary school.

Selectman Richard Brewer urged officials to give thought to whether the new roof borrowing be “excluded” or “included” debt — excluded debt would produce a property tax increase over the period of repayment but would not impact Prop 2 1/2 limits. 

If approved, construction of the new roof would be scheduled for the summer of 2021.

‘Cluster’ septic systems considered

Selectmen voted unanimously to approve a request from the Buzzards Bay Coalition to conduct a feasibility study of cluster wastewater treatment systems at Cadman’s Neck and the Let. The study costs would be paid by a Massachusetts Environmental Trust Center Grant.

The focus will be on the possibility of building shared neighborhood nitrogen reducing waste treatment systems for residences in those two East Branch areas, a Coalition spokeswoman said.

The project will include study, design options, cost estimates and possible discharge locations.

Audience member Shirley Robbins said she was unhappy to learn that a two acre property she owns is targeted as a location for a waste water system.

“I’m not for this and I don’t think it is fair that we were not notified that our property was targeted. There are other alternatives.”

Planning Board Chairman James Whitin said no decisions on specific locations have been made — that location was a “concept and the study will look at other alternatives.”

Treated “very high quality” water from such a system could be used for drip irrigation, selectmen were told, and would be expected to contain less nitrogen than typical ground water.

Selectmen said that any decision to proceed with such a project would require separate consideration and voted by the board.

Assistant planner

The Planning Board received Board of Selectmen approval to begin a search for an assistant town planner.

The planning office, headed by Town Planner James Hartnett, is exceedingly busy and needs the added help, the board was told.

Town Meeting voters approved the post over a decade ago. An assistant was hired but, after the post was vacated, a replacement was never hired — budget constraints were cited.

Salary for the position will be $60,649.

Appointments:

• Raymond Elias was appointed as a full member of the town Agricultural Commission (he has been serving as an alternate).

• Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint Alberio Medina Jr. as a full time patrol officer in the Police Department.

“I’m a 40-year-old rookie,” Mr. Medina told selectmen. He said his wife is from Westport, he is from Plymouth, NH. “I am excited to serve the town of Westport.”

• Tyler Gillis was appointed as a camera operator for community cable television programs.

Administrator reports …

Town Administrator Tim King reported that:

 — There have been unanticipated and costly problems with the plumbing and heating system at the Town Hall Annex building over the past couple of months. So far the cost to one vendor is $11,035. This is on top of the well problems earlier this fiscal year.

— Senator Rodrigues was able to secure a $150,000 “earmark” in the FY 2020 state supplemental budget to pay for safety work and upgrades at the Route 177/Tickle Road intersection.