Matt Bathrick in The Columbia Paper reports that Chatham’s Board of Education is exploring capital spending in advance of eventual consolidation of the the middle school building on Woodbridge Avenue into the high school and Mary E. Dardess Elementary School. Last year, voters rejected a $13.8-million capital project proposal 668-for to 481-against after the board voted to consolide in the fall of 2015. At the Nov. 18 meeting, the school board rescinded the consolidation for now. The district would save over $450,000 a year from consolidation, although that may hinge on the eventual fate of the middle school building. “I absolutely see the need for consolidation. However, I don’t think it is in the best interests of the students or education to do it without a capital project,” said member Terri Conte. “We don’t have the room.” Board member Michael Clark suggested the fall of 2015 as the deadline for a new plan to be developed. The Chatham school board hold a workshop meeting Dec. 2 and its next full meeting is Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School library. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.