The Board of Finance (BOF) reviewed the town’s side of the 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and approved it with no changes at its September 25 meeting.

The school side of the CIP, which would normally be combined with the town side for the BOF review, was held up over technical issues with a funding source.

The Board of Education and school administration were looking at an HVAC rooftop unit replacement for C and D wings of the high school, as well as a chiller unit for F wing. Finance Director Glenys Salas told the finance board that while there were talks a few months ago concerning using a $2 million bond surplus from the Hawley School HVAC project to pay for the project, she had heard nothing more about it until presented with the school CIP.

The problem is that to utilize that funding, the town would have needed to move the bond money with a special appropriation, and the town only can make another $450,000 in special appropriations for the year. The cost of the project would also mean the project would need to be on this November’s ballot for voter approval, but the deadline to get it on the ballot has already passed.

The school administration will be modifying its capital plan to move the high school projects to 2027, and will likely move a different item up to 2026.

Salas addressed concerned with the current equipment not making it through the winter, saying there were concerns with the library making it through the winter and it did make it.

The BOE will present its side of the CIP at the BOF’s next regular meeting, at 7:30 pm Tuesday, October 14, in the Council Chambers.

To recap the town side, which was approved unanimously as presented:

In 2026-27, Year 1 of the plan, it calls for $11,208,500 in capital spending, with $3,707,500 bonded, $2,425,000 from the general fund, $1,980,000 in capital financing, $739,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $992,000 in special revenue funds, and $1,365,000 from grants and gifts.

The town is expected to bond $200,000 for open space preservation, $720,000 for library parking lot and sidewalks, $500,000 for parking lot abatement/improvements, $275,000 for Treadwell artificial turf and lighting, $1 million for bridge replacement, $600,000 for salt storage improvements, and $412,500 for a tax office remodel.

Roadwork will be paid for through the general fund ($2.425 million) and state grants ($775,000), for a total of $3.2 million.

Capital financing will be used for replacement of fire apparatus, $1,260,000; dump trucks, $310,000; and sweeper replacement, $410,000.

Capital and non-recurring fund will be used for matching of town grants, $60,000; multipurpose room upgrades, $239,000; automated dividing walls, $235,000; and Dickinson Playground artificial turf, $275,000.

Grants and gifts will be used for building remediation and demolition at Fairfield Hills, $30,000; library parking lot and sidewalks, $60,000; and restoring the Pootatuck waterway, $500,000.

Special revenue funds will be used for automated dividing walls, $130,000; Dickinson Playground artificial turf, $12,000; and parking lot abatement and improvements, $850,000.

In 2027-28, Year 2 of the plan, it calls for $15,575,100 in capital spending, with $8,465,100 bonded, $2,475,000 from the general fund, $2,040,000 in capital financing, $110,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $350,000 in special revenue funds, and $2,135,000 from grants and gifts.

The town is expected to bond $1,750,000 for electrical upgrades at Edmond Town Hall, $270,000 for Emergency Management Center building upgrades, $2.5 million for building remediation and demolition at Fairfield Hills, $200,000 for open space preservation, $475,000 for library exterior upgrades, $385,000 for Fairfield Hills trail improvements, $140,000 for the rail trail, $500,000 for Treadwell Playground replacement, $425,000 for police regional training facility, $1 million for bridge replacement, $200,000 for a public works generator, $312,500 for a Social Services remodel, and $307,000 for Animal Control renovation.

Roadwork will be paid for through the general fund ($2.475 million) and state grants ($775,000), for a total of $3.25 million.

Capital financing will be used for replacement of fire apparatus, $1,350,000; and dump trucks, $690,000.

Capital and non-recurring fund will be used for matching of town grants, $60,000; and an exterior shade structure at Newtown Community Center.

Grants and gifts will be used for Fairfield Hills Trails improvements, $100,000; and the Rail Trail, $1,260,000.

Special revenue funds will be used for the Community Center exterior shade structure, $220,000; and Community Center multipurpose room upgrades, $130,000.

In 2028-29, Year 3 of the plan, it calls for $13,510,100 in capital spending, with $6,790,000 bonded, $2,525,000 from the general fund, $710,000 in capital financing, $360,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $150,000 in special revenue funds, and $2,975,000 from grants and gifts.

The town is expected to bond $300,000 for Edmond Town Hall window and door replacement, $370,000 for new generators and transfer switches for the fire department, $500,000 for the sidewalk program, $200,000 for open space preservation, $425,000 for library interior upgrades, $2,700,000 for the Community Center pool renovation, $325,000 for Community Center locker room upgrades, $250,000 for pickleball courts, $1 million for bridge replacement, and $720,000 for DPW building improvements.

Roadwork will be paid for through the general fund ($2.525 million) and state grants ($775,000), for a total of $3.3 million.

Capital financing will be used for dump trucks, $710,000.

Capital and non-recurring fund will be used for matching of town grants, $60,000; Community Center pool area renovations, $150,000; and pickleball courts, $100,000.

Grants and gifts will be used for the sidewalk program, $200,000; the Rail Trail, $1,500,000; and pickleball courts, $500,000.

Special revenue funds will be used for the Community Center pool renovation, $150,000.

In 2029-30, Year 4 of the plan, it will be what the town calls a “bonding vacation,” which is when the town, once every five years, goes a year without any new bonding. This year calls for $5,750,000 in capital spending, with $2,575,000 from the general fund, $590,000 in capital financing, $310,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, and $2,275,000 from grants and gifts.

Roadwork will be paid for through the general fund ($2.575 million) and state grants ($775,000), for a total of $3.35 million.

Capital financing will be used for a backhoe, $590,000.

Capital and non-recurring fund will be used for matching of town grants, $60,000; and to mitigate and upgrade plumbing at Edmond Town Hall, $250,000.

Grants and gifts will be used for the Rail Trail, $1,500,000.

In 2030-31, Year 5 of the plan, it calls for $19,005,000 in capital spending, with $10,100,000 bonded, $2,625,000 from the general fund, $1,645,000 in capital financing, $60,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $1,600,000 in special revenue funds, and $2,975,000 from grants and gifts.

The town is expected to bond $1,750,000 to mitigate and upgrade plumbing at Edmond Town Hall, $3 million for building remediation and demolition at Fairfield Hills, $650,000 for Dodgingtown Fire House renovations, $200,000 for open space preservation, $500,000 for a Community Center expansion, $800,000 for Dickinson Park water playground, $1 million for the bridge replacement program, and $2.2 million for HVAC at the Municipal Center.

Roadwork will be paid for through the general fund ($2.625 million) and state grants ($775,000), for a total of $3.4 million.

Capital financing will be used for police body cameras, $325,000; police in-car recording systems, $325,000; police Taser CEW, $275,000; and a public works vactor truck, $720,000.

Capital and non-recurring fund will be used for matching of town grants, $60,000.

Grants and gifts will be used for the Community Center expansion, $2 million; and Dickinson Park water playground, $200,000.

Special revenue funds will be used for the Community Center expansion, $1 million; and Tilson artificial turf replacement, $600,000.

Once the finance board approves the school side, they will be combined and presented to the Legislative Council later this month.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.