THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 Page 3 School Committee turns over three old elementary schools to the Town of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler T he Saugus Public Schools has three less schoolhouses to worry about taking care of. School Committee members voted 3-0 last week to turn over the vacant Douglas Waybright Elementary School, the Lynnhurst Elementary School and the Oaklandvale Elementary School to the Town of Saugus. School offi cials were hoping to make the transfer of properties last September, but it took them about six months longer than they wanted to. “With the pandemic and the supply chain issue – trying to get containers, trying to get dumpsters, it just seemed our progress was always hindered,” Executive of Director of Finance Pola G. Andrews told School Committee members at last week’s (March10) meeting. With the unexpected delay in cleaning up the abandoned school buildings, there was a $112,000 utility bill for the three old buildings that wasn’t in the budget. School Committee Member Joseph “Dennis” Gould said he had concerns about turning all three buildings over the town because of a possible increase in school enrollment sparked by the condos and apartments being built on Route 1. Gould asked Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Erin McMahon whether there had been any dialogue with Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree about trying to keep one of the buildings in case there was a need in the future. “At the moment, I would not say there is a need that we are aware of,” McMahon said, noting that the district’s enrollment has dropped by 173 stuGerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law THREE OLD SCHOOL HOUSES: The School Committee recently turned these three buildings, Oaklandvale (above), Waybright (middle), and Lynnhurst over to the Town of Saugus. (Saugus Advocate photos by Mark E. Vogler) Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 dents over the last fi ve years. The superintendent called the closing of the three elementary schools a “herculean eff ort.” There are no immediate plans for use of the school buildings, although it is likely that neighborhood committees could be assembled to recommend future use of the buildings. The town manager will decide what becomes of the buildings after public discussion. The three school buildings were built during the 1960s – Douglas Waybright Elementary School (1965), Lynnhurst Elementary School (1964) and the Oaklandvale Elementary School (1962). The School District decided to close the three elementary schools and consolidate the school system into three buildings after the construction of the Saugus Middle-High School and renovations of the Belmonte Middle School (which became a STEAM Academy) and Veterans Elementary School (which became an early learning center).
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