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Board previews referendum items, playground updates and concerns about Doolittle HVAC
Summary
Board members discussed three referendum items (turf, loading dock, fire alarm) and other capital priorities; officials flagged playground replacements and a need to address HVAC/air conditioning at Doolittle Elementary.
The Cheshire Board of Education discussed the district’s ongoing capital requests and items scheduled for an upcoming referendum, and board members pressed staff about playground equipment and cooling at certain elementary schools.
The administration said three projects are planned for referendum: turf replacement ($800,000), a loading dock ($800,000) and a fire alarm system at Cheshire High School ($1.1 million). Those three totaled the district’s referendum requests; staff said the district had originally requested $2.5 million in capital funds from the town this year, reduced from an earlier $5,040,000 request.
Board members also raised facilities priorities beyond the referendum. Officials said Highland Elementary has received some playground upgrades through PTO fundraising but that several playground areas at Doolittle and Highland need replacement and modernization. The superintendent and board members flagged Doolittle specifically for HVAC concerns and repeated that cooling and other improvements there are a priority. “It is mission critical from where I sit,” one board member said of adding air conditioning at Doolittle, citing past issues including a multi‑day delayed opening related to mold at that school.
Staff noted the district is exploring multiple funding paths, including using savings or cash flow from the energy performance contract and pursuing grants (a new “drip” grant was mentioned) to support facility work. The administration said a town council vote on the overall capital budget was scheduled for Sept. 30 and that referendum items would be finalized there.
No capital projects were approved at the meeting; the discussion served as an update and to direct staff to continue identifying funding and to keep the public informed about planned improvements.
