Barrington has a big decision to make – whether to build an expensive new high school … or not.

A cursory check into costs shows that the project could be completed by 2014 for approximately $27 million. Operating costs may not be any more than what it costs the community to ship students off to Dover right now.

At a recent meeting to discuss the future possibilities of the new high school, residents voiced concerns over the costs of the new school. One resident stated that his property taxes had doubled after Barrington’s middle school was built, and didn’t want them to double again if another school was built. Another resident asked for estimated annual costs for operations, since he was concerned that they could double the current cost to ship students to Dover.

Current annual tuition for students to attend school at Dover is $4.9 million. School officials in the meeting thought tuition for the new high school would cost about $5 million annually; however, a packet produced at the meeting indicated that the current tuition would cover future operating costs for the new high school if it was built. In 2014, the city’s contract with Dover expires, and it is unclear what Dover will charge at that time.

For each of the past five years, the town elected to set aside into a capital account, at least, $100,000 that would go toward the building of the new high school. This year, however, the town elected not to.

One major benefit of building the high school would be opportunities to receive tuition from other districts wanting their students to attend the new high school. Superintendents in four area cities expressed interest in transporting students should the new high school be built.

Eco-friendly programs and technology will be integrated into every aspect and program of the high school. The superintendent stated that a local high school can create a collaborative community where teenagers and adults can interact. He felt it would be a great overall benefit to the city.

It looks like homeowners and other residents in the community will need to see more specific details about the project before anyone will be willing to vote on the issue.