AGAWAM – Days after going on a walk-through of Agawam High School, the City Council unanimously voted to approve $1.25 million in spending on designs for a replacement building.

City Councilor George Bitzas said local taxpayers will be on the hook for only $500,000, as the state will reimburse the rest of the cost. At their Jan. 18 meeting, councilors approved the resolution, sponsored by Mayor William Sapelli, which would authorize a contractor to study the feasibility of building a new Agawam High School and produce preliminary plans.

Sapelli told councilors that this is the next step in the Massachusetts School Building Authority process, but it does not commit Agawam to additional spending. After taking this vote, the town can “progress to the next level and take a look at the need and what [possibly] some of the remedies for improving those needs may be. It may be a renovation, it may be an addition, it may be a rebuild.”

Last month, Sapelli estimated that building a new school would cost about $125 million. As with the feasibility study and design, most of that cost would be reimbursed by the state.

Councilor Dino Mercadante said the state will reimburse 60 percent of the cost of the feasibility study and design even if the town chooses not to proceed with construction.

The oldest sections of Agawam High School date from 1955. The building underwent significant additions and renovations in 1980 and 1987. The school, at Cooper and Mill streets on the Agawam-Feeding Hills line, covers 266,829 square feet, all on one story, and serves about 1,000 students in grades 9-12.
School officials filmed a video and hosted a tour of the high school on Jan. 15. Earlier, on Jan. 10, the City Council discussed the need for a high school renovation or replacement at a workshop meeting.

“It’s about time we act and this is the right time to do it,” Bitzas said.

Appointments to boards

The council voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of Michael DiLullo to the Planning Board, and also voted unanimously to elect Gary Geiger as a regular member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Councilors split on whether to support the reappointment of Corinne Wingard to the Agawam Housing Committee. Sapelli had nominated her last year for another three-year term expiring Oct. 1, 2024, and on Nov. 3, 2021, the council voted 4-0 in favor, with six voting “present.” With less than half the council in favor, the motion failed.

Sapelli nominated her again, and this time councilors voted six yes, none against, five “present,” approving the appointment.

Leftover bridge money

Councilors voted unanimously to transfer $215,888.55 from the Building Maintenance Street Lighting account to Building Improvements.

Mercadante explained that this money is left over from the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge reconstruction project, as the town had allocated $250,000 to install decorated lights, but actual bids came in far lower. He said the town will use the money for several facilities projects.

“We can do roof maintenance on the town and school buildings, air duct cleaning and inspection, police station front facade and gutters, Granger School gazebo, maintenance garage roof replacements, high school gym floor repairs and little league concession stand repairs,” Mercadante said.