WHSRD School Committee Votes Not to Pass Over Paving Project in Whitman, but Hanson Doesn't Have it on Town Meeting Warrant
WHITMAN — April 29, 2026 — In a move that sparked intense debate over school infrastructure and fiscal strategy, the Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee voted not to “pass over” a capital request for parking lot paving at its Wednesday night meeting. The decision comes as the district weighs a burgeoning opportunity to partner with a private solar company that may subsidize the project in exchange for property access, and as Hanson deferred the article to their fall town meeting, effectively delaying the project until after the next school year.
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The meeting opened with a public comment from resident Dawn Byers, who urged the committee to look beyond a simple one-time paving deal with a solar developer seeking access through district land [00:57]. Byers suggested the district leverage its access to negotiate a long-term revenue-sharing agreement or a STEM partnership for students. “This could be a philosophy... a partnership within the community and long-term revenue sharing,” Byers said, suggesting any annual revenue could be funneled directly into robotics or science programs [04:20].
“If this is in fact something that is going to be discussed... what is exactly being built? It sounds appealing on the surface, but I ask you to pause and ask questions... it’s not a small favor of the district giving this solar company access; it’s called leverage.” [01:38] — Dawn Byers, Resident
This set the stage for the night’s main event: the fate of the Fiscal Year 2027 capital request for parking lot paving. Interim Superintendent Dr. John Marcus recommended passing over the article for both the upcoming Whitman and Hanson town meetings [16:01]. Marcus cited a “mismatch” in timing between the two towns—noting that Hanson had not placed the item on its spring warrant—and the potential for the solar company to eventually foot the bill for at least a portion of the work [34:02].
