Budget Reviewed—

School Board Approves Capital Improvement Plan

By Eliza Hallabeck

The Board of Education unanimously approved a five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) at its first meeting in the new Newtown Municipal Center on January 12.

The school board’s budget for the coming year, which will be discussed in a series of meetings scheduled for the purpose, was also brought up when Director of Facilities Gino Faiella and Director of Technology Carmela Amodeo gave presentations to the school board regarding what it can expect in the maintenance and technology budget requests for this coming year.

“The principals were told to come in flat,” said Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson to the school board after both Mr Faiella and Ms Amodeo gave their presentations, “and they did.”

For the first time, Dr Robinson said, an evolving budget history will be kept of changes to the budget for board members to view. She further explained that documentation will be kept showing what the school district’s principals requested, what Dr Robinson will request when she puts the budget before the school board, and, finally, changes the school board made will be recorded.

“We are in fact looking at positions,” Dr Robinson said.

While contract increases are obligated increases the school board’s budget must accommodate, Dr Robinson said looking in other areas is needed to keep the budget down.

“We are trying to be as realistic as possible in the economic climate,” said Dr Robinson, “as we were last year also.”

Dr Robinson is scheduled to present the budget to the school board in the Lecture Hall of Newtown High School on Tuesday, January 26. She said she wanted the board to be aware that positions are being looked at in the elementary schools and educational assistants.

Health Insurance         Costs To Rise

In other business, the school board’s broker and third-party administrator Mary Griffin, who is also president of TR Paul Inc in Newtown, and account representative Karen O’Connell from Anthem spoke to the board regarding the eventual health insurance increase expected the next time the board renews its contract in 19 months.

Ms O’Connell said the school board’s renewal increase is expected to be 23.9 percent over the board’s current contract with the health insurance provider.

David Nanavaty said going through the school board’s health insurance renewal process has been frustrating for the past six years as a board member.

“I think it is safe to say this board is not going to be able to go to the town and ask for another $2 million,” Mr Nanavaty said. Later in the meeting he said, “In the six years I have been on the board, I don’t think our claims have ever exceeded our premium.”

Board Vice Chair Kathryn Fetchick agreed with Mr Nanavaty, saying the school board can not afford a $2 million increase for health insurance, and, she added, the dance with Anthem happens every year.

“We quite frankly cannot take a rate increase like this,” said Ms Fetchick. “It is outrageous.”

Ms Bittman said an ad hoc committee of the school board will be formed to look into the health insurance matter.

The Board of Education also voted during the meeting to reject federal “Race To The Top Funds,” which, Dr Robinson said, makes Newtown the second town in the state, along with New Fairfield, not to accept the funding.

According to the Department of Education, the funds were created to help states that initiate conditions for education innovation and reform, but Dr Robinson said the paperwork involved would be too much for the amount of money Newtown would receive through the program.

Over the course of four years, Dr Robinson said, Newtown would receive $64,000, or $16,000 a year.

According to Dr Robinson, if Newtown were an urban community, it would receive more funding.

“This does not even cover the money for the bookkeeping” associated with the program, said Dr Robinson.

Ms Fetchick agreed, and said, after looking over the documentation for the federal funding program, it had many restrictions.

Accepting the money, Ms Fetchick said, would require Newtown to conform to national standards of education. She added, she is not interested in conforming to national standards, but is instead, “interested in doing the best for our district.”

The school board voted unanimously not to accept the funds.

Capital Improvement   Plan

While air quality reports that will update a study completed in Newtown Middle School in 2001 are expected back this week, the school board focused on formatting the CIP before voting unanimously to pass it.

Before being submitted to the Board of Finance, school board CIP subcommittee members will meet to correct the reformat the layout of the of the CIP.

As passed by the school board, the first year of the CIP has the NMS reroofing the sloped shingled roof and replacing the flat roof at the school, design fees to renovate NMS to comply with code, and design fees for a proposed three-phase project for Hawley Elementary School’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a combined $5,543,345.

The second year of the plan has $3 million scheduled for use on the first phase of the HVAC work anticipated at Hawley Elementary school.

The third year of the plan has the second phase of Hawley’s HVAC project estimated at $2.2 million, and replacing air handlers, upgrading the heating system and adding air conditioning to Sandy Hook Elementary School for $4,391,846, for a total of $6,591,846.

The fourth year of the CIP has design fees as phase one for a project at NMS to renovate and bring the school up to comply with code for $3,692,736, the third phase of the Hawley HVAC project for $1.6 million, and HVAC work at Middle Gate to replace two boilers, identified exhaust fans, temperature regulators and install air conditioning for $7,068,281.

And the final year of the CIP anticipates renovating the Newtown High School’s auditorium estimated at $1,439,338, and phase two of the NMS project to work on HVAC, improve classrooms in the D-Wing, media center and cafeteria for $19,216,036.

Also during the meeting, Ms Bittman led the board in applause for departing Interim Director of Finance Diane Raymo, whose last meeting with the school board was Tuesday. Ms Bittman also welcomed incoming Interim Director of Facilities Ed Arum into the position.