The Board of Finance (BOF) review of the 2026-2031 Capital Improvement plan was delayed, after it was supposed to be presented at the BOF's September 25 meeting. The town side was not presented.

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.

The town side of the CIP will also be presented on October 14.

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