Spirit of compromise gives me hope
Please note: This letter reflects opinions regarding the November 2024 “Middle Ground” school referendum. It does not represent the current 2025 Cape Elizabeth school proposal which is an updated and revised version.
BY ROB KRAUSER
As I sat at Town Hall during the June 17 joint Town Council/School Board workshop on the “Middle Ground” school design, I was pleasantly surprised by the spirit of compromise in the air. The $89.95 million dollar plan (nearly $30 million less than what went to referendum in 2022) gets Cape a new middle school, addresses critical needs at Pond Cove and the high school, and will not require any student disruption. Interim Town Manager Mike McGovern confirmed during the meeting that tax increase for a median value home in Cape (currently $720,000) would be $900-a-year at the highest point (a per-day tax increase that is less than a large coffee at Dunkin).
Town Councilor Stephanie Anderson said “this proposal is fabulous.” Councilor Jeremy Gabrielson added “this is a strong proposal.” Councilors Penny Jordan and Tim Thompson, who previously voted for the renovation/addition-only plan while on the SBAC, also signaled support for the “Middle Ground” plan. Councilor Thompson felt Harriman and the School Board had done “a really nice job coming together with a compromise that we can get behind,” while Councilor Jordan went as far as to say “you’ve done a fabulous job. I can support this. I will support it.”
While the (as of this writing) town council vote on August 19th is still over a month away, the June 17 meeting gives me hope that they will send this “Middle Ground” plan to referendum in November and let Cape voters decide if it works for our town.
In the news…
