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Board explores Elm Street traffic changes as a potential $1M‑plus catalyst grant opportunity
Summary
Laconia School District officials reviewed consultant options for Elm Street School traffic improvements and said a state ‘catalyst’ infrastructure grant (awards up to $1 million and potentially higher) has an expedited application window, prompting staff to coordinate with city partners and pursue the webinar and application timeline.
District staff told the school board on Jan. 21 that an Elm Street School traffic‑pattern redesign identified by consultants carries a conceptual cost near $1 million and that a state catalyst infrastructure grant could cover a large share if the district and city partner on the application.
“We've got some help from BA Clary who's going to do a webinar with the city on February 5. And then if we were to put in an initial, request, it would be February 28,” Superintendent Chaplin said, noting the grant timeline is rapid.
Facilities Director Crusoe and other staff reviewed the earlier consultant report, which presented three options for Elm Street. Chaplin told the board the Department of Public Works director and city manager have highlighted the school project in the grant materials and that the grant’s award size can be up to $1,000,000 and may go higher in some categories.
Board members asked whether the consultant cost estimates were near $1 million; Chaplin confirmed the favored option was “just about a million” and said the district would seek more detail during the February webinar and would coordinate with city staff on required matching funds.
Staff said the district does not yet have a confirmed local match and will raise that during the webinar. The board discussed plans for an on‑site visit in spring and said staff will return with refined costs, match sources and an application plan if the district and city decide to proceed.
No binding commitment or vote to apply was recorded at the meeting; staff signaled an intent to gather additional information quickly because of the grant’s short timetable.
