Facts are facts   

    A number of opposing viewpoints have been bounced back and forth between parties regarding the referendum on constructing an addition to Scarborough Middle School and building a new Wentworth Intermediate School. While people may have different beliefs on the architectural and financial aspects of the projects, many cannot dispute one fact – the need for these projects does exist.
    I have followed the process of bringing these projects to referendum from the very beginning. Committees were formed to make recommendations to the School Board, who then forwarded those on to the Town Council. Those building committees performed their due diligence and considered several alternatives and cost-cutting measures and brought what they considered to be the best plans forward. The School Board then performed its due diligence and reviewed the plans and asked questions.
    Some facts are indisputable when it comes to these projects – Scarborough Middle School was overcrowded the day that it opened; Wentworth Intermediate School had gotten to a point where renovating it would cost nearly as much as constructing a new school.
    While it is possible that a few dollars could be shaved from both projects, the fact remains that millions of dollars of work are still needed at both locations.
    Taxpayer money is hard to let go of. We work hard for the money we have, but when our fellow residents have brought forth what they feel are the best projects possible to fill a need, that should be taken into account.
    When the town approved a $26.8 million project at Scarborough High School in 2002, voters put the needs of the students and faculty first. The same thinking should be applied in this case.

Lucas Knowles