While sideline chats, social networks, and back fence conversations seem to be conspicuously limited ahead of Newtown’s April 24 budget referendum, there are other important reasons why we hope to see more than 10, or 15, or 20 out of every 100 eligible taxpayers turning out to consider the town and school district proposed spending plans for the next fiscal cycle.

Three other reasons, to be precise.

As in recent years, and as prescribed in a Charter revision that voters endorsed a few years back, taxpayers not only continue to enjoy the privilege of telling local school and town leaders whether or not their budget requests will fly, they also get to endorse or reject a number of “big ticket” bonding authorizations.

This year, there are three.

As reported in last week’s newspaper and in a newtownbee.com feature, on March 29, the Legislative Council agreed on the three bonding authorization requests voters need to consider. Over the next few evenings, those bonding requests were also approved during meetings of the boards of selectmen and finance.

The projects are $1.2 million for an HVAC replacement at Newtown High School including design and installation; $450,000 for HVAC design work at Newtown Middle School; and $1.55 million for roof remediation and replacement at Newtown Municipal Center.

In the case of the middle school project, it was determined that voters should consider the design phase expenditure first — with the idea that if the design phase is approved and that money is spent, voters would be likely to endorse the construction phase costs in a future referendum.

According to explanatory text made available for voters:

Approval of the Resolution to bond $1,550,000 will allow for the roof remediation and replacement at the municipal center, which includes cupola repair and remediation of transite tiles. The specification for the new roof replacement is an architectural asphalt shingle.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal is on the record stating his conviction that this project “should be well within budget.”

Approval of the Resolution to bond $1,200,000 will allow for the replacement of existing rooftop heating, ventilating, and air conditioning units servicing the B-wing at Newtown High School. This includes new HVAC equipment, electrical connections, piping connections, BMS controls, and variable air volume box control upgrades.

And approval of the Resolution to bond $450,000 will allow for engineering services for HVAC Improvements Design including a construction manager to assist with development of a schedule and cost estimate for the future installation of HVAC improvements to Newtown Middle School.

It is a common practice in advertising to provide incentives to motivate consumers to action. We would take the same tack regarding the April 25 referendum. By doing your civic duty and exercising your privilege to weigh in on Newtown’s proposed 2023-24 budget requests, you also qualify to approve or deny over $2 million in proposed capital bonding!

Can’t make it to the polls on April 25? Absentee ballots are available now at the Town Clerk’s Office, and a special Saturday absentee voting session is set for Saturday, April 22, from 9 am to noon.

So, there are really no excuses to side-step participating in this year’s budget vote!