School Bd Reviews Preliminary

Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan

By Tanjua Damon

With the budget season looming just around the corner, Newtown’s school district is gearing up to submit its five-year capital improvement plan to the Legislative Council.

Members of the Board of Education were provided with a preliminary copy of what the district is planning to do to schools over the next five years by Ron Bienkowski, Director of Business for the district. He explained that the Legislative Council has certain criteria for items to be considered for the plan.

The requirements include that an item have a cost equal to or greater than 0.15 percent of the prior year’s budget, or $100,400, in order to be eligible for submission under the plan. Other capital improvement requests include purchases requiring debt obligation; acquisition or lease of land, purchase of major equipment and vehicles with life expectancy of three years or more; construction of new building facilities including engineering, design, and other pre-construction costs; major building improvements that are not routine expenses and substantially enhance the value of a structure; major equipment or furnishings required for a new building or other projects; and major studies requiring the employment of outside professional consultants.

Requests also have priority code ratings for projects: committed, urgent, needed, desirable, and acceptable.

The report shows that for the 2001-2002 year, $18,576,000 will be asked for capital improvements. Fields at the high school need improvements, along with auditorium renovations of acoustical treatment, stage auditorium, and sound system, as well as replacement of the ceiling and lighting. A recommendation for funding to connect Sandy Hook School to the public water supply appears for Year One and funding for the proposed 5/6 school is also included.

In Year Two of the plan, the districtwide total is $14,671,100. This figure includes funding for the replacement of seating and flooring in the high school auditorium, more funding for the 5/6 school, and athletic field improvements at the middle school.

For Year Three the only thing showing in the report is funding for the 5/6 school totaling $126,000.

Then in Year Four the report requests funding for climate control at various schools including Hawley, Sandy Hook, Middle Gate, and the middle school. Also for year Four, a request for the high school to be connected to the public water supply is listed. A districtwide total for 2004-2005 is $2,200,000.

Board member Earl Gordon asked why climate control projects at several schools was not spread out throughout the five-year capital improvement plan. Mr Bienkowski said this could be looked at and it should not pose a problem.

In Year Five, the districtwide total shows $659,000. The report asks for improvements at Middle Gate School to be connected to the public water supply. System-wide engineering and mechanical reviews, as well as updates for all energy management systems, are included.

Another part of the report, which includes a more comprehensive list, addresses projects to be included in next year’s Board of Education budget, which identifies future school needs that will be addressed during budget talks with individual schools at a later time.