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The project was ultimately approved for the diversity grant offered by the state after a lengthy budget session.
“This is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication by all parties involved,” said state Rep. Mike Bocchino (R-150).
“The staff, faculty, and student body at New Lebanon has outgrown the existing facility. Once the new building is complete, these students will have the space, resources and environment necessary to help them reach their full potential. Thank you to everyone who has contributed during this process. It was a long road and we faced tremendous resistance along the way, but seeing the excitement on the students’ faces this morning made it worth every second.”
The final two-year spending and revenue plan, which passed Oct. 26, included funding for the new building amounting to 80 percent of the estimated $37 million construction cost. This will allow Greenwich to come into compliance with a state mandate. The legislators had dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to this project, which finally paid off.
“This year we needed to make some difficult decisions regarding the state budget,” said state Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149). “The one area that was nonnegotiable for us was education. We are all committed to these students and view this as a priority for the town, and state. We fought hard to secure funding for New Lebanon because these students and their parents were counting on this grant to make this a reality. Once completed, this beautiful new building will provide a safe, inclusive and structured learning environment for our young scholars.”
“Education is a top priority for the Town of Greenwich and the state at large,” said state Rep. Fred Camillo (R-151). “We spent countless hours meeting with the commissioner, governor’s office and legislative leaders to gain final approval. We had a plan, we followed through and we were successful. Seeing the hundreds of smiles on the faces of the New Lebanon students made that effort more than worthwhile. It is a project that we in the Town of Greenwich can all be proud of.”
State Sen. L. Scott Frantz (R-36) also attended the groundbreaking.
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