Burlington Select Board Unanimously Backs $334.8 Million High School Project

BURLINGTON — September 22, 2025 — Burlington Select Board unanimously backs $334.8 million high school rebuild for town meeting consideration. The board voted Monday to recommend five warrant articles advancing an addition-renovation project at Burlington High School, with owners project manager Terry Hartman of Doran Whittier presenting a revised project budget of $334,769,880 — down from the $340 million figure in the original August warrant following design reviews with construction manager Consigli and architect TAPA. The project targets a construction start of April 2027 and student occupancy of the new academic wings by fall 2029, with full completion around mid-2030. Board member Michael Espejo acknowledged constituent concern about costs, noting the project alone is projected to add roughly $1,183 annually to a household assessed at $780,000 by fiscal year 2032, with cumulative tax impacts potentially reaching $2,000 per year when combined with other capital projects. Board member Sarah Cawley argued that deferring construction would not avoid major costs, since aging mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are at end of life and any repair work would trigger full code-compliance upgrades. If town meeting approves the warrant, the Select Board would call a special election, with November 15 discussed as a possible date.