Middletown board restores IT post with adult-education grant, approves $29,828 Eversource payment and ratifies labor contract

The Middletown School Board on Monday accepted a late-arriving adult-education grant windfall and used it to restore a previously eliminated IT/administrative position that will support adult education and districtwide technology, ratified a labor contract and voted to pay $29,828 to resolve an outstanding Eversource billing.

Dr. Adley, speaking for the administration, said the state finalized provider grant awards on June 10 and the district received roughly $200,000 that can be applied to benefits accounting. "The state actually finalized grants and issued us two basically $200,000 in savings," Dr. Adley said, and the administration recommended allocating the funds to the benefit-receipt account and restoring an IT position that had been cut during earlier budget reductions. Mike, the district IT director, described the department as serving the entire district and said reinstating the position would restore daily technology support that had been consolidated into the central team.

Board members moved and approved the line-item transfer to reinstate the position. During the discussion they clarified that the adult-education provider grant is annual and funds instructors, administrative leadership, professional development and operational support; the administration said the grant contribution can legally support a portion of the IT work that serves adult education.

Later in the meeting the board turned to an Eversource billing issue. Administrators reported the district is facing outstanding charges tied to prior years and said Eversource and the city had negotiated partial reimbursement; the city reimbursed $35,000 for costs recognized in the current fiscal year but declined to cover amounts from closed audit years. The administration recommended closing out the year by paying the remaining balance to avoid interest and carrying the liability forward.

After discussion about negotiation leverage and the possibility of seeking a formal appropriation from the city council, a board member moved to transfer $29,828 from the board of education's unexpended balance account to resolve the outstanding Eversource balance. The motion was seconded and the board approved the transfer.

Board members also approved asking Chair Daniels to draft a letter to the mayor and the common council informing them that the district paid the balance, and requesting consideration of a future appropriation for specific capital needs. The board discussed listing identified projects in the request, such as replacement security cameras and at least two boilers, so an appropriation request would be clear and tied to defined uses rather than a general replenishment of reserves.

At the start of the meeting the board ratified the presented labor contract ("ask me local 1467") by unanimous roll call.

Votes at a glance: The board unanimously ratified the labor contract; it approved the administration's line-item transfer to reinstate the IT/administrative position using adult-education grant funds; and it approved a $29,828 transfer from the unexpended balance to settle the outstanding Eversource charge. The chair was authorized to draft a letter requesting the city council consider appropriations for specified capital needs. The meeting closed with plans to draft the letter and to reconvene regular business in September.

The board did not adopt a final position demanding city reimbursement for all prior-year charges; members said they would pursue reconciliation and potential appropriations through council channels while avoiding carrying the specific shortfall into next year's budget.