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BET rejects $250,000 appropriation to study moving Board of Education from Havemeyer
Summary
After a prolonged and contentious debate the BET failed on a motion to add $250,000 to the FY27 capital budget for a feasibility study to relocate Board of Education operations from the Havemeyer Building; the underlying motion and a conditioned amendment both failed in 6–6 ties.
The Board of Estimate and Taxation considered — and ultimately rejected — a $250,000 budget amendment proposed by Mister Pellegrino to fund feasibility work on relocating Board of Education administrative and warehouse operations (currently at the Havemeyer Building) and to study a potential addition to Town Hall.
Pellegrino argued the money would let the town explore a low‑cost, town‑owned option for the BOE, add urgency to the board of education’s needs assessment and keep the issue on the administration’s desk. "If we don't put this on his list of things, it will not be gotten to," Pellegrino said, urging the BET not to "kick the can down the road."
Opponents said the request was premature, lacked sufficient backup for the $250,000 figure, and could pre‑empt a fuller, more sequenced process. "This one's a little bit premature," said Mister Selbst, who said he favored getting more detailed analyses presented and possibly funding an interim measure later.
Procedure and outcome: Members proposed and debated several amendments, including conditioning any release on a board of education presentation and use of existing trust funds. An amendment to condition release failed on a 6–6 vote; the underlying appropriation then failed on a roll call, also 6–6. Because the votes were tied, the appropriation did not pass and no funds were added to the capital budget for the Havemeyer work.
Community and procedural context: BET members repeatedly raised questions about sequencing, available trust funds (a named trust with roughly $600,000 was discussed), public hearing results, and whether board of education needs should be resolved before funding a feasibility study. Supporters said inaction would delay long‑needed solutions for BOE staff space; opponents warned about precedent and the need for more complete cost backup before placing a request in the budget.
Next steps: Members suggested inviting the board of education and the building director to provide more detailed estimates and usage studies to a BET committee and to report back before any new appropriation is considered.
