School Facility Utilization Task Force to begin work Jan. 22; board says group will only make recommendations

The New Hartford Public Schools Board of Education on Jan. 15 announced the formation of a School Facility Utilization Task Force and scheduled a public meet-and-greet for 7 p.m. on Jan. 22 at Ann Antolini School, Superintendent Jeffrey Sousa said.

The task force will be staffed and supported by Silver Petrucelli & Associates (SPA). SPA has collected architectural and mechanical reports, contracted an outside vendor to produce enrollment projections under a student-privacy agreement, and presented a timeline that runs January–June 2026, pauses for July–August, and resumes September–December 2026. The district has posted a dedicated task-force page and a public contact address at nhtaskforce@newhtfd.org.

Chair Timothy Klepps and Superintendent Sousa stressed the group is advisory: it will provide findings and recommendations to the boards but will not have authority to make binding facility decisions. Board Member Frank Rodenberg asked whether the district could obtain community feedback earlier in the budget process; the board said community outreach options are being discussed by a subcommittee.

SPA’s enrollment projection work is expected within approximately two months; the projections will inform grant requests, construction planning and potential reconfiguration options. The board did not record any formal appointments to the task force at this meeting; the board noted community members Samantha Wald, Carmen Neale and Jeffrey Linton had expressed interest in community-member slots.