Weston board debates $4.2M capital request as staff outlines radio, paving, turf and HVAC needs
Summary
District staff presented a reprioritized $4.2 million FY27 capital request, highlighting radio upgrades, parking-lot paving, turf replacement, and aging HVAC/boiler equipment; trustees pressed for a 5–10 year capital plan, implementation timeline and clearer referendum messaging.
District staff summarized a reprioritized capital budget for fiscal 2027 and described a package of high-priority facilities projects, telling the board the list reflects operational urgency and multi-year planning.
Mike, who led the line-item review, described the top priorities as a radio upgrade (purchase and infrastructure to make radios interoperable with town systems), parking-lot paving and storm-drain repairs at the elementary and bus-loop sites, replacement of aged turf on the lower field, district-wide energy-efficiency and control upgrades, and several school-specific needs including central-office HVAC concerns, a failing South House boiler, and an elementary asphalt roof replacement. On the radio project, staff said the full project is roughly a two-installment effort and that initial funding already exists; staff increased the radio line by $20,000 in the reprioritized list.
Board members repeatedly asked about priorities and sequencing. "Are we sure about those?" one trustee asked, pressing whether furniture purchases should rank above roof or paving work. Another asked whether parking-lot paving — including the bus loop at Hess — should be second on the list because of deteriorating storm drains and safety concerns. Staff said paving and the drop-off loop have safety implications and should remain a high priority.
Members also discussed how the district has historically deferred capital needs and whether to present full costs to the town or shield voters from large year-to-year spikes. Several trustees favored leaving the full long-term needs visible on the capital request so voters understand cumulative costs rather than hiding them; others asked staff to identify projects that could be deferred to lower the next-year ask.
The board asked staff for several deliverables before the next meeting: an implementation timeline showing sequencing and likely disruptions at Hess, a process document describing the approvals and deadlines for any referendum items (particularly the North House HVAC), and a 4–10 year capital forecast and comparative data from neighboring districts to contextualize per‑school capital spending.
What’s next: Staff will provide the requested visuals and process documents before the board’s next meeting, when the board expects to vote on the operating budget and further refine the capital request for submission to town officials and the spring referendum process.
