The newly formed Mattacheese Utilization Committee (MUC) launched a 14-month planning process Wednesday evening, immediately confronting a staggering $20 million estimate required simply to bring the vacant former middle school up to modern building codes. The committee, tasked with determining the future of both the old Mattacheese school and the M.E. Small site, heard from town officials that the steep cost of renovation was a primary driver behind the decision to build the town’s new school facility rather than attempting a retrofit.

Assistant Public Works Director Robbie Whitehouse, a multi-generation Cape Codder who has served the town for 25 years, underscored the financial reality facing the group. The reason we built a new school was because the cost of updating the building was so expensive, Whitehouse told the committee. I would assume that the land use teams are aware of this information even before we proceed. The building currently sits vacant, drawing roughly $200,000 annually in utility and maintenance costs despite its deteriorating systems, including a failing furnace and roof.

Assistant Administrator Bill Scotty, who opened the meeting by outlining the Select Board’s mission, noted that the committee must remain impartial while exploring diverse uses such as housing, recreation, economic development, and tourism. The scope of work encompasses the entire site, including the old middle school, the M.E. Small school solar area, and existing recreational fields. Scotty emphasized that the final plan must be grounded in financial reality. Thomas Edison said, 'Vision without execution is hallucination,' Scotty said. So our execution has to be that when we give this back to the town, we say, 'And here's how you can pay for this.'

The committee’s strategy relies on a liaison system where members will serve as bridges to existing town boards rather than relying solely on outside consultants for community outreach. Member Lindsay Pro, a 20-year Yarmouth resident representing the Capital Budget Committee, questioned how the group would capture innovative ideas that might fall outside traditional department silos. I was just trying to figure out how someone creative out there that thinks out of the box... how do they get in? Pro asked. Scotty responded by suggesting a catch-all category for outside groups to ensure diverse proposals, from libraries to private developers, are heard.

Other committee members brought a mix of professional backgrounds to the table. Resident Andrew Lair, who has been in town full-time since 2018, expressed interest in seeing where this thing heads and suggested that the committee leave the decision of renovation versus demolition to potential bidders. Whoever might be interested can evaluate that and proceed or not, Lair noted, suggesting that a company with deep pockets might view the building’s condition differently than the town's taxpayers would.

Finance Committee representative John Anderson, who brings a career in supermarket retail to the group, expressed a primary interest in the site’s recreational and economic potential. Sharon Wymer, a resident since 1978 and long-time volunteer, signaled her willingness to focus on the housing aspects of the reuse plan. Barbara, a resident member participating remotely following surgery, highlighted her 20 years in public education technology in the Bourne and Nauset districts. I'm actually kind of excited to be participating in this utilization committee and I look forward to working with you folks, she said.

The project timeline is slated to run through January 2026. The initial phase, running through early 2025, involves administrative setup and a refreshed analysis of the building’s condition. Scotty informed the committee that a consultant is currently updating 2014 cost estimates to provide a clearer picture of current code requirements. Following this, the town’s communications department will produce a video to help the public visualize the building’s interior issues, such as roof leaks and structural stains. If the report is the novel, the video is the miniseries, Scotty explained.

The committee plans to select a designer between February and April 2025, followed by a period of benchmarking successful projects in other towns. By late summer 2025, the group expects to receive formal proposals, leading to a final recommendation to the Select Board in late 2025 or early 2026. Because the site is adjacent to a town water supply, any significant development will likely require a transition to sewer infrastructure, adding another layer of complexity to the eventual site profile.

The committee reached a consensus to hold future meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. to accommodate the 14-month schedule. Members will finalize their specific liaison assignments to boards like the Housing Trust and the Recreation Commission at the next meeting, ensuring the project remains aligned with the town’s broader 10-year Master Plan and Community Preservation goals.