At the Oct. 9, 2025 Brookline School Committee meeting the panel voted to approve two separate measures to address problems at Brookline High School: a reengineering effort to correct HVAC/temperature equilibration issues and a roofing contract.

The committee took up agenda item 2a (HVAC reengineering) after discussion about an ongoing dispute with the contractor who built the high school. Committee members asked whether the proposed repair work would be added to the town’s legal proceedings. A staff member said the underlying legal matter is “a legal matter which we really can’t discuss in open session” but that the repairs were necessary for the district to proceed to address the HVAC issues.

Despite the outstanding dispute, the committee voted to approve the spending to reengineer the system. The recorded vote on 2a was: Bob — yes; Carolyn — yes; Andy — yes; Mariah — yes; Suzanne — yes; Jesse — abstain; Donna — yes; Val — yes; Chair — yes. The motion carried (eight yes, one abstention). A committee member said the select board had already unanimously approved the item earlier and that the committee’s approval would allow the district to move forward on the technical fix while legal matters continue.

Immediately after, the committee considered 2b, a roofing contract at the high school. That measure passed on a unanimous roll call: Bob — yes; Carolyn — yes; Andy — yes; Mariah — yes; Suzanne — yes; Jesse — yes; Donna — yes; Val — yes; Chair — yes.

Committee members emphasized they were approving the technical remedies described in the packet and that separate legal processes were under way concerning contractor responsibility. One member asked whether the work would be added to pending legal claims; staff reiterated that they could not discuss active legal proceedings in open session but underscored the district’s need to remedy building performance.

Ending: With the votes the district cleared the way for immediate repairs to the high school’s roof and HVAC infrastructure; the committee noted the difference between authorizing repairs and pursuing any contractual claims in parallel.