New Sign for Mansfield's Qualters Middle School in the Works

Mansfield Superintendent of Schools Brenda Hodges and Director of Buildings & Grounds Walter Parker told the Mansfield School Committee on Wednesday about the current plan to replace the Qualters Middle School sign.

“I think all of us know that that sign has been an eyesore for a long time,” Hodges said.

Currently, the project is estimated to cost no more than $3,100, and funds for the project would come out of a 2011-2012-budget surplus from plowing funds and other building funds.

“Walter has said that it’s going to be a major project to get it out of there,” Hodges said.

Parker said that the project would just replace the sign itself and not the steel columns and the foundation, which he said, digs far into the ground.

“What we’ve decided to do, because of the footings, we’re going to save the actual steel columns that are there,” he said. “It’s strong enough to hold whatever we got.”

The existing poles are about four feet tall and the new sign would be mounted on that. Hodges said that while the electronic sign at the high school cost much more than $3,100, this sign would be a simple board.

Committee member Jean Miller said that she had some concerns about spending money on a nonessential item in the current budget situation.

“I can’t help myself for saying this, I understand it’s not attractive, but I’m just concerned about the expenditure when we have a huge budget deficit,” Miller said. “People might say something, so I’m just throwing it out there.”

Mansfield Schools Director of Finance and Operations Edward Vozzella said that the sign is a detriment and could disengage potential residents from moving to Mansfield based on the appearance of the school.

"It's our campus, what people drive up to," Vozzella said.