Public commenters press board on Conte pool and library funding; board approves personnel report, nutrition certifications and contracts

Public comment opened the New Haven Board of Education meeting with speakers pressing the district on facilities and instructional resources.

Dennis Tondalo, building manager at Conte West Hills School, told the board the pool has been closed since 2020 because of leaks and deteriorating concrete, and that a 2022 bid for $538,000 was never executed; the project was rebid and awarded July 1, 2023 for $594,000. Tondalo listed outstanding items — replacement of the filtration and balance tanks, locker‑room renovations, and HVAC/dehumidification repairs — and urged the board to complete the work "the right way, not halfway." He said without those core repairs the pool remains underperforming and potentially unsafe.

Kim Rogers, a library media specialist with New Haven Public Schools, described steep reductions to library budgets (her Metro budget declined from about $2,700 to $900) and said district classroom purchases — a district Scholastics effort of roughly $180,000 to supply classroom libraries in 73 classrooms — have not replaced or funded high‑school library collections or certified library staff. "One book is not enough," Rogers said, urging restoration and protection of library funding so every school has staffed libraries.

The board also heard from community partners about athletics: Eric Potashinski and Mark DeCola described a benefactor-funded plan to bring hockey and floor‑hockey equipment into schools and Project Pride classes. Mark DeCola said the program will be provided at no cost to the Board of Education or taxpayers and that early pilots involve more than 125 children.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of special meeting minutes (March 20, 26) — motion carried by recorded roll-call vote of members present. - Approval of regular meeting minutes (March 23, 2026) — motion carried by recorded roll-call vote of members present. - Superintendent’s personnel report (including two retirements effective June 30, 2026) — approved by roll-call. - Healthy food certification under Connecticut General Statute §10-215f for July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027 (item 10.01) — approved by vote; board also approved the addendum permitting limited sales of non‑compliant items at after‑hours events (item 10.02). - Approvals of agenda agreements, amendments, purchase orders, contracts and change orders — approved by roll-call after brief clarifying discussion about LAB Branford (item 11.01). Dr. Joseph Lumpkin explained LAB provides outreach and case management and will participate in district professional development but will not provide professional development to district staff. - Executive session and settlement: the board entered executive session to discuss pending litigation (Holly v. New Haven Board of Education) and then voted to approve a settlement consistent with executive‑session discussion, subject to approval by the city litigation settlement committee.

What happens next: the administration said the facilities transition will be posted as an action item at the next meeting and will return with full documentation. The Conte pool speaker urged the district to address outstanding mechanical and safety systems before reopening the pool; the administration did not present a project update tonight beyond public comment remarks and the earlier contract history recitation.

Sources and legal context: the healthy food certification cited Connecticut General Statutes §10‑215f and was approved by board vote; the executive‑session authority cited Connecticut General Statutes §§1‑206b and 1‑210b.