Needham homeowners face a potential property tax increase that takes its first formal step Tuesday night.

The School Committee and Select Board will meet jointly at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at Town Hall to vote on placing a debt exclusion override on the November 3 ballot. If approved by voters, the override would fund a $325.4 million new Pollard Middle School, replacing the roughly 70-year-old building on Harris Avenue with a 265,572-square-foot Grade 6-8 school.

The town posted a revised agenda for the meeting that adds a 6:20 p.m. item on "Pollard Ballot Language and Operating Cost Memo," signaling that boards will review the specific tax question residents would see in November. An IT Strategic Plan Update follows at 6:40 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Select Board Chambers at 1471 Highland Ave. and is available via Zoom.

What the project costs

The School Building Committee voted unanimously on June 8 to endorse a schematic design that brought the price tag down from $336 million to $325.4 million, even while adding 11,000 square feet. The School Committee followed with a 7-0 vote on June 16 to submit the design to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

School Committee Chair Alisa Skatrud has said the MSBA will reimburse between $65 million and $80 million, offsetting 20-25% of total costs. The state agency will commit to a specific dollar amount after its August 26 vote on project scope and budget.

If the override fails, Superintendent Dan Gutekanst has said the town would exit the MSBA process and instead repair the existing building at an estimated cost of $167 million with no state reimbursement.

"I shudder to think what will happen if the override does not pass. Plan B is not pretty and, frankly, is more expensive," Skatrud said at the June 30 community meeting, when asked what would happen if voters reject the project.

What comes next

Tuesday's vote is the first in a three-step process. Town Meeting must authorize the debt at its October 19 session before the question reaches voters on November 3.

Residents looking for more information can attend a community forum on Wednesday, July 22, at 6 p.m. in the Pollard Middle School Auditorium, 200 Harris Ave. Superintendent Gutekanst, HMFH Architects, and Bond Construction will be on hand to answer questions. The forum is also available via Zoom. A third summer community forum is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26.

Skatrud told residents at the June 30 meeting that a tax calculator showing the impact on individual properties will be posted to the town's website this summer.

The May 2026 Annual Town Meeting approved zoning changes needed to build the new school on the current Pollard site. Construction is planned to begin in fall 2028, with the full project targeted for completion in January 2032.