Milford Board of Finance approves $4.95 million school bond for roof repairs and esports arenas; two other bond measures also pass

The Milford City Board of Finance voted Feb. 24 to approve an ordinance authorizing $4,950,000 in bonds for school improvements, including grouped partial roof replacements across multiple schools and renovations to create esports arenas at Jonathan Law and Foran high schools. The measure passed on a 3-2 vote.

The ordinance will be referred to the Board of Aldermen for final action; bonding and issuance will follow project progress. The Board of Finance approved the measure even as two members raised concerns about scope and cost, and several school officials presented project details and answered questions about how the money would be spent.

Board of Finance members and school staff framed the package as a mix of routine capital maintenance and targeted investments. Peter Aridisi said the language in the draft ordinance was amended so the roof work would read “various schools partial roof replacement,” because “that bonding involves more than one school. It’s not just Orchard Hills,” and the authorization should cover smaller roof sections across multiple buildings rather than a single-site total. Aridisi also told the board that the $4,950,000 figure includes financing costs: “This … includes the 10%…