Ed McKinlay has lived in Barrington for nearly 50 years, but the longtime resident told people at a recent school committee meeting that his days in town might be numbered if taxpayers vote through a multi-million bond to build a new middle school.

The 83-year-old Mr. McKinlay said the recent project estimate of $68.4 million would bury many residents under massive annual tax increases, and might force him to move out of town. 

Another Barrington official estimated that a resident whose home is assessed at $400,000 would pay, on average, between $500 and $600 more each year in taxes for the next 20 years … in addition to the other municipal and school budget increases.

"I don't like the idea of spending $68.4 million for a new middle school," said Mr. McKinlay during a recent interview. "It's a Cadillac model, when a Buick will do."

Mr. McKinlay said the firm hired to design the new school has included numerous features that could be scaled back or removed altogether. He pointed to the rooftop atrium that was included on the earlier drafts of the project. Mr. McKinlay paused, and then laughed in disbelief. 

"A rooftop atrium? Come on," he said. (The atrium is no longer included in the plans.)

Mr. McKinlay, who has served in a variety of volunteer positions for the town including a longtime spot on the Parks and Recreation Commission, questioned the number of science labs included in the middle school plans. He said there was no need to build nine labs when three would be sufficient.

At the core of his concerns, he said, has been the school committee's approach to directing the firm Kaestle Boos Associates. Mr. McKinlay said Barrington officials needed to establish a cost range for the work, but never did so. The result? The design firm initially released an $80 million project estimate for the new school. Then school officials revealed a slightly lower estimate: $74.6 million. That's still $40 million more than East Greenwich paid for its middle school five years ago.

At a meeting on May 12, members of the town council and other officials continued to voice concerns about the project's price tag. School officials agreed on a $68.4 million estimate and told council members they would do their best to further reduce costs. 

Those moves did little to ease Mr. McKinley's concerns.

"If you're going to bring in a firm, you're going to tell them how much you want to spend," he said. "They should have told Kaestle Boos what they could afford. … I think there's a lot of architectural foo foo in that plan."

Mr. McKinlay said he places great value on education and has supported the local schools for decades. He said his father was a carpenter who worked on school construction projects in Connecticut many years ago. 

"I am not opposing" building a new school, he said. "But I can't see spending that much money."

Mr. McKinlay is not alone. Other town officials, including the town manager and the head of the committee on appropriations, voiced serious concerns about the project estimates — they called it a budget buster. Some people have also pointed toward the Rhode Island Department of Education's own formula for establishing state aid for building projects; it includes a set amount for square footage needed per student. 

The state recently approved offering 35 percent reimbursement for the construction costs for a new middle school in town, but only up to a bond totaling $46.4 million. Any money spent above that amount would fall 100 percent upon local taxpayers. 

"There's a reason why RIDE will support $47 million," said Barrington Town Manager Peter DeAngelis. 

The manager said a $68.4 million project would "create fiscal problems for people in this town."

Mr. DeAngelis said that while some people in town might be able to absorb the significant tax increase, many folks will not. He said many households in Barrington are paycheck to paycheck.

"The demographics are all across the board in this town," he said. 

Mr. McKinlay agrees.

"There are a lot people around the state who believe that we all make six figure incomes," Mr. McKinlay said. "That's not the case."

Mr. McKinlay said many of the town's older residents live on fixed incomes. 

"There is a fairly substantial part of the community that has lived here for a long time," he said. "We've paid our dues. … If this passes, you're going to see a lot more for sale signs in town."

Mr. McKinlay said he would like to see more work done to create a more economical plan for a new school. He said he understands the need for a new building, but cautions folks from spending too much on this one project. The town manager holds the same concerns. Mr. DeAngelis said that spending too much on a middle school will restrict the town's ability to complete other needed projects.

"I think we need to continue to sharpen our pencil with this project," he said.