Norwood Public Access Television and school officials are worried about what it might mean for both if the state prevents the television corporation from having offices and storage space at the proposed new high school.
The town is requesting the Massachusetts School Building Authority approve adding roughly 500 square feet to the new school to house offices and storage space for local cable, which televises municipal board meetings and community events.
Norwood Public Access has had offices and equipment at the high school since the corporation was formed about five years ago.
Public Access President Scott Murphy said the relationship has been great. Because the corporation has saved money that would otherwise have gone to rent space elsewhere, it has invested in video equipment and computers that high school students and residents use.
Although the TV group is prepared to pay the additional cost of the 500 square feet, it is unclear whether the building authority will allow it.
"It's all up in the air," Murphy said.
If the TV operation had to move, it would be a blow to the high school's television production program, which now has access to the more than $100,000 worth of equipment purchased over the past four years.
Public access station director and high school television production teacher Jack Tolman said the relationship has borne fruit for students, largely because they can use state-of-the-art equipment and have more computer editing stations.
"They are producing more and better quality videos," said Tolman.
School Committee Chairman Paul Samargedlis said he is worried about possibly losing that equipment, especially if it means money to replace equipment or computers would have to come out of the school budget.
"To me the scary reality is the possibility of losing that equipment," said Samargedlis.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority has authorized the town to begin designing a new school that meets its education guidelines. Cost estimates on the school are expected to be completed by the fall, and a debt exclusion override question to fund construction of the school would be put on the April ballot.
Daily News staff writer Brian Falla can be reached at 781-433-8339 or bfalla@cnc.com.
