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Board rejects motion to reconsider combined $8.2 million bond after transparency concerns
Summary
After a public commenter said the proposed $8.2 million bond did not clearly disclose that about $3.8 million would fund athletic‑field work, a board member moved to reopen the prior vote; the motion failed 2‑8. The bond hearing is set for May 6 and the public vote for June 9.
A board member moved on May 4 to reconsider the board’s prior decision to place a combined $8.2 million capital bond before voters after hearing sustained public concerns that the proposal did not clearly disclose how funds were allocated.
At the public‑comment portion of the meeting, Terry Walters, a 41‑year district resident, said he had watched presentations in multiple towns and that the materials did not make the percentage breakdown clear. “I was all signed on,” Walters said, “until one of the selectmen asked how much of the $8,000,000 actually goes to critical infrastructure repair. The answer was about 3.8 goes to recreation fields improvements, and the rest go to actual infrastructure repairs.” Walters urged the board to withdraw the single measure and replace it with two separate bonds — one for critical repairs and one for recreational projects — so voters could make a clearer choice.
Superintendent Gleeson and several directors said the numerical breakdown has been posted on the district website and will be made available as paper handouts at the May 6 bond hearing, but acknowledged some residents have had trouble finding the information online. “We’ve had it posted for a number of weeks,” the superintendent said, adding the administration would provide printed breakdowns at the hearing.
During discussion, supporters of the combined bond said the facilities committee and board had debated the issue and that placing the package before voters lets the electorate accept or reject the full proposal. Critics said the presentation felt “poorly packaged” and that combining discretionary recreation upgrades with essential infrastructure created confusion for residents.
A motion to reconsider the board’s earlier vote was put to a roll call and failed, 2 in favor and 8 opposed, leaving the combined $8.2 million bond in place for the schedule already set. The chair and district staff reiterated that the bond hearing will be presided over by the chair at Bonny Eagle High School gymnasium on May 6 at 6 p.m., followed by the district budget meeting; the public vote is scheduled for June 9.
Action and next steps: the board voted not to reopen the issue on May 4; the administration said it will provide clearer, printed breakdowns of the bond allocation at the May 6 hearing and try to make the figures easier to find on the district website.
