Central office reports impact-fee balance, board reviews potential uses and public-hearing rules
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Summary
District staff and town administrators reviewed the district’s impact-fee balance and possible uses; finance staff reminded the board that spending impact fees beyond anticipated revenue or appropriations requires a public hearing.
District central office staff and the town office provided an update on impact fees the town collects for new development and on early capital-planning steps for school facilities.
Why it matters: Impact fees are one-time developer-collected funds designated to offset new development’s impact on school capacity and facilities. The board discussed using part of that account for concept work on a school-safety project and other near-term maintenance needs.
What staff presented: Central office staff reviewed a spreadsheet maintained by Susie Buchanan at the town office that tracks impact-fee receipts and deadlines. Board materials included a figure reported as 4,200,575 (as provided in the packet) for the impact-fee account and an item of $9,802.25 with an identified deadline; board members discussed those numbers and asked staff to confirm them. The board previously authorized up to $2,500 to be used toward initial concept work under that account; staff confirmed that authorization was in place.
Staff also presented a prioritized list of facility needs identified by Rusty Lister, including a $50,000 estimate for a multipurpose-door replacement and an exterior-painting line item. Staff noted LED lighting for the building had been budgeted in the fiscal‑year 2026 repair-and-maintenance fund to capture a rebate that would otherwise expire.
Finance and legal process reminder: Molly, a district finance staff member, explained that when the district recognizes impact-fee receipts in the fiscal year they are received, the fees act as a revenue offset for budget purposes. She said that if the district wants to expend impact-fee balances to increase the appropriation beyond the current voted budget for larger projects, the district would need to hold a public hearing to add the appropriation. For small uses that are treated as revenue offsets (the earlier $2,500 authorization was described as such), the board would not need a separate public hearing.
Capital-improvement planning: Board members asked about a more comprehensive capital-improvement plan. The district’s facilities lead suggested hiring an outside firm to perform a building‑by‑building assessment; staff estimated such a scope of work could cost roughly $10,000, depending on vendor and detail.
Follow-up: Staff will confirm the town-maintained impact-fee spreadsheet figures, provide refined cost estimates and incorporate any agreed uses into the FY27 budget planning cycle. The board directed staff to observe public-hearing requirements if the district intends to expand appropriations using impact-fee balances.