Selectmen Push for Public-Private Partnership for Avery

Lots of factors are at play when it comes to the current , a 1920 building that will close its doors to students in April.

The Dedham Board of Selectmen on Thursday voiced support for a public-private development that would serve the community - and an open bid process that would solicit ideas from developers.

"I am a big believer in public-private partnership, especially in this economy," selectman Sarah MacDonald said. "I know we are a ways away from paying for [municipal] uses."

Town Administrator William Keegan warned that a bid process could lengthen the time it takes to fill the building, if it is more than a three-year lease.

"It's not something that needs to be thrown out the window," Keegan said. "To the extent that we can try and focus our attention on Master Plan needs and getting the building up and running as quick as possible."

This is where it gets a bit tricky.

Selectmen could vote to enter into a lease less than three years with a private tenant without a Town Meeting vote. But anything more than three years would require a warrant go in front of Town Meeting members.

It could be difficult to find a tenant who would sign less than a three-year lease for a use selectmen and the town favors, however selectmen would be rolling the dice and extending the process if they put it on the warrant for May's Town Meeting.

And a lull in activity at the Avery is what neighbors most certainly don't want.

"There is a fear that it will become neglected, vacant, an eyesore and deteriorate," Avery Re-use Committee chair Joe Heisler said.

The subcommittee charged with finding a function for the soon-to-be-empty school building has heeded those calls and agrees a temporary-use plan needs to be drafted in case a permanent use takes time to develop, Heisler said.

Under a public-private use agreement, the town would still control the building and be able to approve any uses.

Residents at Avery Re-use meetings have said they favor a community center, and Michael Butler started a thread other selectmen picked up on as he advocated for private use.

"You could also have a center of community, and it doesn't always have to lead to the same conclusion - so a space that brings people together is a center of community regardless of who happens to be running it or funding it," Butler said.

Time is short though.

The board called for the committee to generate a few feasible ideas for the building by December and to continue to survey the community in East Dedham and the town for ideas.

"Let's say we had some developers, in all likelihood no shovel is going to be turning the ground for quite some time," Heisler said. "We at least start looking [at interim] uses."