By Carol Britton Meyer

In response to a Cohasset family’s proposal for a public/private partnership to build a community center on the Hull Redevelopment Authority land, the school department is seeking to be part of the discussion about whether the center will be built.

At its meeting this week, the school committee said it has requested of Hull Redevelopment Authority Chair Dennis Zaia a meeting with the HRA to talk about the proposed wellness and community center for all ages recently proposed by Cohasset’s Lisa and Paul Rogers.

“We reached out to Dennis because this potential project could have implications for our students, and we’re trying to open up the lines of communication,” school committee member Kyle Conley said.

This presentation was not part of a formal request for proposals for the HRA property, but was another in a series of meetings where development options are being informally discussed.

On February 24, Lisa and Paul Rogers presented to the HRA a preliminary vision for a non-profit, multi-generational Dylan’s Tide Child Wellness and Community Center in honor of their late son.

Their goal is for this all-season, roughly two-acre project to be included in the HRA Urban Renewal Plan that is currently in the “Option 3” stage, or a complete rethinking of property’s development strategy.

Informal meeting proposed

Following a brief discussion at this week’s school committee meeting, it was decided that with Conley serving as the committee’s liaison, she or Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette would try to arrange an informal meeting with Zaia – and perhaps another authority member – sooner rather than later to talk about the proposal. Another committee member could be added later if needed. In her presentation to the HRA, Lisa Rogers requested a decision about the project from the HRA within six months.

“I know things are happening with the HRA, and I don’t want [for the school committee] to come in late to the conversation,” Conley said.

Zaia mentioned the committee’s request to meet with the HRA at this week’s authority meeting, but noted that the HRA and school committee meet regularly on the same dates.

If agreeable with Zaia and other HRA members, the school committee would like for the initial meeting to include Jette, Conley, Zaia, and another HRA member at a mutually convenient date, time, and location.

Following a subsequent update to the school committee following that meeting, Chair David Twombly said, “If we need to flesh out [further details], perhaps we could arrange for a meeting of both boards” on a night when they are not meeting at the same time.

While interested in participating in a discussion with the HRA, Jette noted that school department has a number of resources already, including an after-school program.

“I want to be sure that we don’t put ourselves in a competing-against-ourselves situation, leaving our buildings empty,” he said. “Let’s work together as a community with what the [HRA] vision ends up being.”

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