Middletown school board sets aside $3 million for emergency repairs at Presidential Park Elementary

The Enlarged City School District of Middletown Board of Education on Aug. 14 approved a resolution to use $3,000,000 from the district's fund balance to pay for emergency repairs and interim cooling units at Presidential Park Elementary.

Superintendent Amy Creedon told the board the action is intended to cover emergency repairs to failing air-conditioning equipment and, if needed, the rental of temporary mobile air-conditioning units so the building will have functioning cooling by the start of school. "This resolution is to authorize the district to utilize fund balance to pay for the emergency repairs that will be associated with the fault of the Presidential Park air conditioners so that we can both investigate a long term solution...as well as the potential rental of mobile air conditioning units so that there's no gap between our ability to open school on time," Creedon said.

Creedon and board members said the district expects the long-term replacement to be substantial. Creedon estimated the full replacement or repair could be "probably gonna be a 3 to $5,000,000 fix," and said the currently proposed $3,000,000 is intended to start that work and fund short-term measures.

Board members emphasized the district will use its fund balance rather than raise taxes. "No effect on the taxpayers base," a board member said, and the superintendent referenced the district's strong Moody rating and long-standing reserve policy as reasons for drawing from fund balance for emergencies.

The board approved the resolution by unanimous vote, 7–0. The motion was moved by Pastor Freddie Williams and seconded by Freddie Williams (as recorded at the meeting). The motion record in the meeting minutes lists the outcome as carried, 7–0.

Next steps discussed by the board and administration included initiating procurement for a long-term fix, preparing bid documents, and managing temporary cooling units so school operations would not be delayed. Creedon said the district will put the long-term solution out to bid while the trailers provide interim cooling.

The board's vote followed routine approval of several personnel and administrative items earlier on the agenda; the emergency AC resolution was the most significant budgetary item discussed at the meeting.

The board meeting started at the scheduled time after a brief delay for interviews and an executive session; the AC item was raised and voted as part of the action items portion of the meeting.