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Board approves $25,000 extension to Colliers contract for high‑school planning, grants superintendent transfer authority
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Summary
The board voted to extend Colliers’ contract by $25,000 from the district’s 2% fund to continue high‑school planning work and approved routine transfer authority for the superintendent to finalize year‑end budget adjustments; one board member opposed the Colliers extension citing site‑location and referendum wording concerns.
The Wallingford Board of Education on April 23 approved a second extension of the Colliers contract, authorizing $25,000 from the district’s 2% fund to continue work toward a June state submission for the one‑high‑school project. The board also approved a routine, annual motion granting the superintendent authority to make budget transfers necessary to complete the district’s final 2025‑26 financial report.
Operations chair Regan explained the extension is to "continue our work towards getting this project to the state where we can do a submission to the state in June." The motion passed on a roll‑call vote: seven in favor, one opposed.
Board member Reyes cast the lone no vote and said she would not support further spending on the site in its current form. "I won't be voting for this. I don't agree with where the site is located, and I don't agree with continuing to spend any more money on this," Reyes said, raising additional concerns about language in Colliers’ memo that refers to "pre referendum support." Regan and the superintendent responded that the district had followed prior practice of executive‑session briefings and that negotiations and purchases are handled on the town side by the town attorney, with district involvement when appropriate.
The board also approved a motion authorizing Superintendent Belize to make the transfers required to finalize the board’s 2025‑26 financial report; that motion passed by voice vote. Administrators said the ClearGov budget‑software bid waiver would go to the town council for approval and that further high‑school timeline work would continue while town negotiations, appraisals and contingency planning proceed.
What happens next: Colliers will proceed under the extended scope; the superintendent will complete year‑end transfers and the district will notify stakeholders and share ed‑specs and timelines for public feedback as they become available.
