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Fairfields school leaders hoped to get started on their summer repairs soon. But theyll have to wait until chair Al Kelly and his Town Facilities Commission take a look at the numbers first. The Board of Selectmen was due to approve $2.9 million in school and town building repairs Wednesday night. But the three selectmen decided they needed more expert knowledge before making a decision.
The Board of Education asked for money to put in new boilers at Dwight, a new oil tank at Holland Hill, new bathrooms at Jennings, new ceilings at Mill Hill, roof repairs at Roger Ludlowe Middle School and McKinley Elementary, new siding at Roger Ludlowe, repairs to the façade of Tomlinson Middle School, and a new playground for the Early Childhood Center. The Department of Public Works also pitched repairs to roofs at the Senior Center and the Old Academy, as well as four new storage tanks at town buildings.
But Selectman Sherri Steeneck worried about the costs after the Representative Town Meetings reaction to the Roger Sherman School renovations Monday night. Though the RTM approved the $2.2 million for the project, it took issue with the Board of Educations initial plans, which had more work for the same price. Based on past history, I have no confidence in any of the numbers [the Board of Education] has to give me, Steeneck said at the meeting Wednesday night.
School board officials, however, worried that the delay to ask the facilities commission would prevent them from finishing the repairs before school resumes this fall. They hoped to move the plans through the Board of Finance and the RTM by the end of March, so they could get plans finalized by the start of summer.
Most of these projects cant be done during the school year, Superintendent David Title told the board. Wed like to get on these as soon as possible.
The Town Facilities Commission is a volunteer group of engineers, architects and other builders who consult on town repairs too small to warrant their own building committees. Gallagher, the vice chair, said he could get some members together to give the selectmen time to vote by the Board of Finances March 14 meeting. But he said he might not be able to look at every project in depth.
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