Taland board accepts state DRIP grant for facilities projects and approves surplus of obsolete equipment

The Taland Board of Education voted to accept state DRIP grant funds and authorized the district to deposit and allocate the monies for a list of facility repairs and upgrades.

Superintendent described a grant award tied to specific projects: man-trap/main-office reconfiguration, fencing and retaining-wall work, security upgrades (including man-trap work at multiple sites), kitchen and HVAC repairs at secondary schools, and flooring replacements at Taland Intermediate School. The meeting record read the grant total as "$110,9926" (as stated in the meeting materials); the superintendent told the board the funds had been transferred to the town and were available once the board accepted them in the minutes. Facilities director Pete Staba (described during comments as responsible for execution) said the work would be scheduled to avoid interfering with summer ESY and extended-school programs.

A motion to accept state DRIP payments, deposit them into district accounts and proceed with the specified work was moved, seconded and passed. The board then considered an inventory of obsolete and damaged equipment — items ranged from decades-old instructional kits and scratched CDs to an inoperable Ford F-150 (reported mileage ~150,000) and a used football tackling sled — and unanimously moved to declare the inventory surplus and hand it to the town under policy 3040 so the town may sell, scrap, or otherwise dispose of the items.

Board members and administrators said they would continue to manage capital planning and the district's repair schedule, and facilities staff will coordinate project timing and procurement.