Board weighs options for Mary Hurd program and building as maintenance needs mount
March 27, 2026 | RSU 60/MSAD 60, School Districts, Maine
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Board members and administrators considered options for the Mary Hurd program and its aging facility during the March 24 budget workshop.
Administrators reminded the board that Mary Hurd School was a gift from the Hurd family and that repurposing or discontinuing that use may require town approval. A staff member cautioned that moving the program does not necessarily produce operational savings because building maintenance continues even if programming relocates.
Board members raised physical and programmatic considerations: one member proposed temporarily using a cottage/mobile unit to house the program while exploring consolidation; another said combining students into Lebanon or other buildings could reduce weather-related commutes and might be feasible but requires thorough space and program analysis.
The board was also given a facility-cost estimate: “There’s a $140,000 of facility maintenance for Mary Hurd just for this year,” an administrator said, and noted that a boiler replacement accounted for a significant portion of that figure. Members asked administration to include facility maintenance and any town-approval implications in future budget scenarios.
The board did not decide to close or repurpose Mary Hurd; instead members asked administrators to present scenarios that include maintenance costs, possible consolidation plans and any legal or town-approval steps required before a change in use.
Administrators reminded the board that Mary Hurd School was a gift from the Hurd family and that repurposing or discontinuing that use may require town approval. A staff member cautioned that moving the program does not necessarily produce operational savings because building maintenance continues even if programming relocates.
Board members raised physical and programmatic considerations: one member proposed temporarily using a cottage/mobile unit to house the program while exploring consolidation; another said combining students into Lebanon or other buildings could reduce weather-related commutes and might be feasible but requires thorough space and program analysis.
The board was also given a facility-cost estimate: “There’s a $140,000 of facility maintenance for Mary Hurd just for this year,” an administrator said, and noted that a boiler replacement accounted for a significant portion of that figure. Members asked administration to include facility maintenance and any town-approval implications in future budget scenarios.
The board did not decide to close or repurpose Mary Hurd; instead members asked administrators to present scenarios that include maintenance costs, possible consolidation plans and any legal or town-approval steps required before a change in use.
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