Cheshire board asks delegation to make HVAC grants permanent in state grant program

Cheshire officials told Representative Linehan the district has received HVAC grant funding in prior rounds intended to improve indoor air quality, but they urged the state to make HVAC upgrades eligible under the state’s standard school-construction grant program rather than relying solely on one-time federal COVID dollars.

At the meeting, a district speaker said the state ran two rounds of HVAC grants funded initially with federal COVID assistance and that Cheshire received funding in the last round. The district asked that HVAC projects be added as an eligible item under the state’s standard grant program (the meeting referenced OSCGR) so HVAC work would remain fundable when federal funds are no longer available.

Representative Linehan said additional state funding could be possible if indoor-air quality remains a priority statewide, and she requested that the district notify her office whenever it applies for grants so the delegation can help. She said historically some HVAC rounds were funded with federal dollars and that state dollars have not consistently replaced that source.

Ending: The delegation offered to assist with grant coordination and the district was urged to notify Representative Linehan’s office when it applies for state or federal grant funds.