Middletown Council delays vote on $530,705 Forest Avenue school design amendment after budget questions
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Summary
Councilors put off a vote to authorize $530,705 in supplemental design work for Forest Avenue Elementary after lengthy debate over a roughly $6 million renovation estimate, reimbursements and the town—ond fund; staff said the work is eligible for 55% reimbursement and would be designed to meet codes with a target return-to-school date of fall 2028.
Justin Bernard, a representative for Middletown Public Schools, asked the Town Council to approve a $530,705 amendment to HMFH Architectscontract to design renovations at Forest Avenue Elementary School, including updated accessibility, restroom replacements, new windows and a compliant elevator.
Bernard told the council the amendment reflects additional design work needed to bring the building up to code and to match the districts timeline for opening all schools in the 2028 school year. He said the request follows field work and a refinement of needs since earlier assessments and that the design work will produce schematic drawings and cost estimates.
The request opened a sustained debate about budget transparency and scope. Several councilors said they support the school improvements in principle but do not have the detailed budget materials they need to approve the design amendment tonight. Councilor Charlie (as named in the record) told staff, "I don't see a spreadsheet here that shows me where we're coming up with the $6,000,000," and said he could not vote to approve $530,000 without seeing how it fits into the bond accounting.
Town staff and the project team responded that Forest Avenue is included in the original bond legislation and that there are bond-interest and bond-premium funds and contingencies available. Staff said the team estimated the renovation at roughly $6 million based on a 2021 assessment updated for current costs and the addition of items such as a new elevator. They said the town would be eligible for 55% reimbursement on that work and that reimbursement typically arrives over a three-year period.
On timing, staff said full design will take several months and that the renovation work would likely require moving pre-K–1 students to temporary swing space for about a year so the building could be renovated and returned to service for the 2028 school year. "We would move the students out after the 2026–27 school year and start the work in June 2027," a project manager said, noting that the schedule is designed to allow the town to capture the higher reimbursement rate.
After extended questioning and requests from several councilors for preliminary budget spreadsheets, visual materials and reconciled estimates like those used on prior projects, a motion was made to continue the resolution to the next meeting so staff can provide more detailed numbers. The motion to continue was seconded and carried by voice vote.
The council did not approve the HMFH amendment tonight; staff said they will return with schematic-design estimates and budget reconciliations at the next meeting. The design request remains on the docket as a continued item.