BETHEL — SAD 44 Board of Directors voted unanimously Monday to hire an architect to review possible options for the construction of a replacement district transportation garage and develop a budget for the project.

Discussion about possibly replacing the garage has been on the school’s radar for more than 20 years. The garage, located in Bethel, was built more than 90 years ago.

The building has structural damage and the back of the roof has started to leak.

Superintendent Dave Murphy said the last time the school considered building a facility was 2001. Then the project cost was estimated at just over $300,000.

“If we are able to sell the current facility we have, then because it’s a facility that we purchased after the district came together, that’s money you can recoup and you can use toward offsetting and costs of the project,” Murphy said.

He said that after getting an architect to agree, the school will start looking at different project sites.

Other news

Directors unanimously approved a plan to adjust the school calendar to make up days lost to inclement weather. An hour will be added to each school day for 25 consecutive days starting after February vacation. The school is only allowed to make up five days because of state rules, Murphy said. The district has had eight school days so far.

This is the third straight year the school has extended its school days.

Eighth grader Cyrus Woods creates a design for the 3D printer on his laptop. Watching from left to right are directors Dave Bartlett (Newry), John Walker (Bethel), Carol Everett (Bethel) and Tammy Goodwin (Greenwood).

A workshop scheduled for March 22 will now be held the on the last day of the school year.

A 3D printing demonstration was done by eighth grade science teacher Pete Heddon and three of his students. The three students showed directors on their laptops how they create their designs.

swheeler@bethelcitizen.com