Staff Writer
HOULTON — Plans have been set for a $5 million bond in support of renovations and construction at Houlton Junior/Senior High School.
Photo courtesy of Houlton Community Arts Center Council
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN DONATION — From left, Joe Fagnant, president of the Houlton Community Arts Center Council, and Chris Anderson, president of F.A. Peabody, hold a artist’s drawing of what the new arts center at Houlton High School will look like. The arts center capital campaign is underway and it was announced Friday that F.A. Peabody has donated $100,000 to the $5 million fund-raising campaign.
At a Sept. 10 school board meeting, SAD 29 directors unanimously approved the bond proposal which means that the issue will now be on the ballot when member towns head to the polls Nov. 6. A public hearing on the project has been set for Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Houlton High School’s auditorium.
If OK’d by voters in Houlton, Hammond, Littleton and Monticello, half of the funds, $2.5 million, would be put toward construction of a new arts center at the high school; the other half would support ongoing renovations in other areas of the high school.
Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick said earlier that plans were for a 20-year bond; payments would be made with $350,000 that is already being allocated each year for renovations.
The Houlton Community Arts Center council is working to raise another $2.5 million in private funds — money that would pay for renovation of the current music space at the Houlton school and construction of new space. The new arts center would allow space for an expanded auditorium; separate rooms for band, chorus, theater and dance; space for a visual arts classes and more.
For more information on the project, visit www.houltonarts.org.
