The School Committee will be asking for much less money for capital projects in fiscal 2015 than it expected to a few weeks ago. Small savings in some areas and large reductions in others account for the drop.
By dropping a request for a new van, reducing its estimate for updating school labs, and voting to take no further action on Bromfield House, the committee has reduced its total request by more than $2 million.
School Superintendent Joe Connelly told committee members Monday that the schools may not need the $30,000 originally requested for a new food service van in fiscal 2015. Instead, they may be able to take ownership of a van that the Department of Public Works plans to replace. In a memo, school facilities manager Mark Force said he believes the schools could get many years of use out of the DPW vehicle. The committee voted to leave the decision to Connelly, Force, and Chef Paul Correnty, after they look the van over.
The School Committee also voted to reduce its capital funding request for updating the Bromfield science labs from $3.4 million to $1.95 million. The committee had included the larger number in its capital plan only as a placeholder, always intending to find ways to reduce it. At a previous meeting, the School Committee voted to completely redo just the three Bromfield rooms used primarily as labs; the five science classrooms will have fewer modifications.
Finally, the School Committee will not request funds for further remodeling or repair of the Bromfield House, where the school administrative and special education offices are located. The amount needed has been estimated to total as much as $700,000. Committee members voted unanimously to notify the Board of Selectmen that they do not intend to continue using the building for that purpose in the long term. (See “School committee votes to give up Bromfield House”)
The changes occur as the School Committee prepares an updated version of its five-year capital plan to submit to the Capital Planning and Investment Committee.
