Brockton Finance Committee Advances High School Renovation, Approves Six Grants

BROCKTON -- April 21, 2026, Brockton Finance Committee advances $750M to $900M high school renovation study and approves six grants. At the April 21 Finance Committee meeting, project manager Kevin Sullivan of Left Field Project Management told councilors the Brockton High School project, currently in the final stages of a Massachusetts School Building Authority feasibility study, carries an estimated total cost of $750 million to $900 million, with the city's effective MSBA reimbursement rate projected at 50 to 60 percent rather than the base rate of nearly 80 percent. Chief Financial Officer Dr. Troy Clarkson confirmed a debt exclusion ballot question is unavoidable, saying flatly, "The simple answer to that question is no," when asked whether a meaningful project could proceed without one. The committee also approved a $647,185.48 Shannon grant for youth violence prevention, a $175,000 state tourism grant for World Cup watch parties near Campanelli Stadium, and a $9,043,440 free-cash transfer to the Chapter 324 Supplemental Reserve, a fund Clarkson said will be fully spent to balance the FY27 budget, leaving the city's general stabilization account at approximately $989,000. The project team is scheduled to return May 18 with preliminary cost figures.