New Roof for CT Douglas Elementary School MSBA will contribute up to $206,840 for the project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Emily Mahlman

September 29, 2010 (617) 720-4466

TREASURER CAHILL AND THE MSBA ANNOUNCE NEW ROOF FOR CT

DOUGLAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MSBA will contribute up to $206,840 for the project

BOSTON, MA – State Treasurer Tim Cahill, Chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority

(“MSBA”), and Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director, today announced that the MSBA Board voted to approve a partial roof replacement for the CT Douglas Elementary School in Acton. The next step in the process is for the Town of Acton and the MSBA to enter into a Project Funding Agreement which will detail the project’s scope and budget and set forth the terms and conditions to which the Town of Acton will receive its grant from the

MSBA. The MSBA will be funding 43.85% of the project.

The MSBA will fund a partial roof replacement at CT Douglas Elementary School as part of the MSBA’s Green Repair Program. The main goals of the Green Repair Program are to improve learning environments for children and teachers, reduce energy use and generate cost savings for districts. The program will repair or replace roofs, windows and/or boilers in schools that are otherwise structurally, functionally and educationally sound.

“This program allows us to make much needed repairs and make Douglas Elementary more energy efficient, therefore reducing energy costs,” stated Treasurer Tim Cahill.

“The Green Repair Program will provide immediate benefits to communities like Acton by enabling us to both expedite and broaden the MSBA’s participation in repair projects, thereby maximizing the impact of this program,” stated Katherine Craven.

“Weatherizing our schools and investing in better, more energy-efficient infrastructure is a smart use of state funding. It will save the schools money down the line by reducing energy costs while also reducing our carbon emissions – a win-win situation. I’m pleased that the MSBA has initiated this new Green Repair Program, and excited to see Acton become one of the first school districts to take advantage of the program,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge.

“Education is the backbone of our communities,” said Rep. Cory Atkins. “I am pleased that this collaboration between state and local governments will help the town of Acton to maintain its excellent public schools.”

“I am pleased that the MSBA has partnered with the Acton Public Schools to provide a new roof for the Douglas School. This will help maintain a positive learning environment for Acton’s children,” said Rep. Jennifer Benson.

The MSBA is collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest up to $2.5 billion in schools across the Commonwealth by finding the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. The MSBA is committed to protecting the taxpayer’s dollar by improving the school building grant process and avoiding the mistakes of the past in the funding and construction of school facilities. In its six year history, the MSBA has made more than $7.2 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities in these difficult economic times.