Tolland board approves 2025 capital budget request, elevates AC/HVAC priority

The Tolland Board of Education voted to approve its 2025 capital budget request and amended the submission to raise the HVAC/air‑conditioning project’s priority level to 'critical.' The motion authorized the superintendent to communicate the board’s request to the town manager.

Superintendent Dr. Will (as identified in the transcript) and facilities staff reviewed the district dashboard of previously submitted and potential capital projects, noting which items are eligible for outside grants and which are town decisions. Board members focused on a large-scale HVAC/AC project affecting multiple buildings and discussed grant timing: officials said state grant programs could fund roughly 50% of such projects but emphasized that the district must plan and secure local funding in advance to move the project forward when grants are available.

Trustees debating the motion argued the HVAC work should be prioritized because it affects a large share of square footage without air conditioning, has implications for indoor air quality and is likely to be required at some point by state guidance. Other capital items—such as equipment trailers and fire‑safety work—were also discussed for relative urgency. Facilities staff said recent engineering estimates put the HVAC project near the $2.5 million range for a multi‑year implementation timeline, and board members noted that costs have stabilized compared with the pandemic-era volatility.

The board amended the capital request to reflect the higher priority for the HVAC project and approved sending the revised package to the town manager. The vote was recorded as passing in roll call.