The Cheshire Town Council on Oct. 14, 2025, unanimously adopted revisions to Section 2‑26 — the Public Building Commission (PBC) ordinance — and approved the town’s fiscal‑year 2025–26 annual capital budget and an amended five‑year capital expenditure plan.

Town Attorney Andrew D’Onofrio described the PBC amendments as clarifying the commission’s scope and improving project controls. D’Onofrio told the council the rewritten ordinance limits PBC responsibility to projects referred by the council, requires compliance with the town charter and applicable law, and enumerates duties such as determining project delivery methods, prioritizing quality/budget/schedule, complying with bidding statutes (Cheshire bid threshold cited as $35,000) and using RFQs/RFPs for professional services. The draft also requires that for projects that (a) use state or federal grants, (b) exceed $25 million in estimate, or (c) are otherwise large, the PBC must return to the council prior to major milestones (construction‑documents, bidding, construction and before entering contracts above $50,000).

“Those are the basic changes,” D’Onofrio said, describing new reporting requirements that include monthly written updates to the council on project costs, contracts awarded, schedule status and change orders. Council members from across the dais praised the work: Councilman Malone called the revisions “a big improvement,” and others said the wording will help future PBC members interpret their duties.

Separately, Town Manager Sean M. Kimball reviewed the proposed capital program. Kimball and staff presented a first‑year capital plan and an amended five‑year plan that reduced near‑term debt pressure by moving roughly $70 million of projects into years six through ten; they reported the five‑year plan totals about $65 million before grant offsets and averages about $12 million per year in local bonding consistent with the town’s debt service policy. The council adopted the FY2025–26 capital budget (first year) and approved the five‑year capital expenditure plan by unanimous vote.

The council also approved a slate of budgetary and grant items during the meeting:

- Acceptance and appropriation of a Connecticut DEEP Clean Water Fund grant, $290,538.05, to support inflow and infiltration studies and force‑main evaluations; the grant covers 55% of the contracted I&I study with the town paying the local share. Town staff said the work is part of an earlier contract with Wright‑Pierce.

- Appropriation of $33,378 from the town’s NEF special revenue account for school food‑waste composting programs at Chapman Elementary and Doolittle schools and launch at Dodd Middle School; the resolution includes a reimbursement clause if the Board of Education receives a state materials‑management grant.

- Authorization to enter the municipal electronic voting equipment agreement with the Connecticut Secretary of the State following legislation that allowed the office to gift the statewide voting hardware and required municipalities to assume maintenance responsibilities.

- Acceptance of a donated parcel of open space — approximately 41.3 acres associated with the Blackberry Woods subdivision on Marion Road — with direction to record the deed on the town land records.

- Establishment of a three‑member Insurance Advisory Study Group to review property, casualty and health insurance programs and report recommendations by April 1, 2026.

Council members thanked staff and the Board of Education for months of work to prioritize projects. Several members reiterated a preference, where possible, to fund recurring maintenance in operating budgets rather than by bonding to avoid long‑term interest costs. The capital budget and the package of resolutions passed by unanimous roll‑call votes during the Oct. 14 meeting.