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School committee approves reduced capital package with last special-education van and key tech/facilities items
Summary
The committee approved the district’s pared-down capital request — including one final aging special-education van, safety-camera repairs, Chromebook and teacher-laptop replacements, and critical chiller/MDF cooling work — and will forward the package to town capital processes.
The Franklin School Committee voted to approve the district’s capital request package, a prioritized list of technology, facilities and vehicle projects the administration says are essential to school operations.
Director of operations Colin Boivre described the school requests as focused and limited in scope given overall town funding constraints. "This van will help sustain some of its operations," Boivre said of the final aging special-education van requested to replace a fleet vehicle past its useful life. The package included three school requests (one special-education van, district safety/camera improvements, and classroom infrastructure work) totaling about $300,000 and additional technology and facilities items split between the town and schools.
Director of technology Tim Rapoza explained the technology priorities and licensing needs. He told the committee the request covers 690 wireless access-point licenses for three years, extension of virtual-environment support through 2027, replacement of 350 sixth-grade Chromebooks and 300 teacher laptops. Rapoza warned that the wireless licenses are not optional: "If we don't have a license, they just say, 'oh, I guess I'm all done now,' and they stop working," he said, describing the licensing check-in behavior that keeps wireless access operational.
Facilities requests included chiller coil replacement at Franklin High School, a chiller/compressor replacement at Washington Street complex and a replacement split unit for the Lincoln Street MDF room to protect critical network equipment. Boivre stressed the phased approach and the district’s effort to prioritize safety and reliability.
A committee member moved approval and the motion was seconded. The committee approved the capital request package by voice vote. The administration said it would forward the approved request to the town as the municipality consolidates all capital submissions and that projects will proceed through procurement and contracting as funding is allocated.
The district noted two sources of one-time help that reduced this year’s request: earmarked funding from the town administrator and a legislative earmark that together allowed the district to request one fewer van than originally planned. The administration said any items not funded through the town process would need to be absorbed into operating budgets or delayed.
The committee will receive updates as the requests move through the finance committee and town council review.
