Western Elementary well project tied to EPA grant; committee to seek RIDE reimbursement guidance

The committee received an update on a proposed new well at Western Elementary that district staff said will be funded through an EPA grant administered with the state infrastructure bank.

Russell Hill and facilities staff said the well is planned on school property beyond the playground fence in a wooded area. Staff said the drilling will require a 25-foot protected radius that extends over school property and therefore may require an easement from the town. The project’s funding path, as described in the meeting, routes payment through the infrastructure bank with EPA back funding; staff said Coventry would not be writing a direct check for the work.

Committee members discussed whether Western work could be reimbursed through the RIDE school building aid process. Staff asked Chris (director of finance) to contact Billy Trimble at the school building authority to determine whether the well and related work are eligible for RIDE reimbursement and whether the district could submit the work in the RIDE portal. Presenters estimated the broader Western project at about $700,000 (including a generator to maintain pressure during outages). Staff noted that splitting the work into separate submissions — for example, keeping each piece under $500,000 — might enable an expedited RIDE review pathway.

Staff also discussed design progress and the need for a small easement to protect the well area; they did not indicate a contract award at the meeting.

Ending: The committee directed finance staff to seek formal guidance from RIDE about reimbursement eligibility and to report back so the district can finalize funding and submission strategy.