Board President says law change lets New London Board direct non‑lapsing funds; Budget Task Force to reconvene

President Elaine Maynard‑Adams told the New London Board of Education on Oct. 15 that recent changes to state law remove the previous requirement that the City Council approve deposits to the Board’s non‑lapsing fund.

“The old legislation required that when the annual audit had completed, that a request would need to be sent to the City Finance Director to deposit the sum into the account through the City Council,” Maynard‑Adams said, and she described the statutory change that now allows the Board to instruct the city on deposits without separate Council approval.

The change matters because it alters a step in the district’s fiscal process. Maynard‑Adams said the Policy Committee and the Finance & Audit Committee will draft a policy to reflect the statutory update, and the Board will engage the City Council to align the city ordinance that governs the long‑standing Budget Task Force. “This Task Force had been formed three years ago and is comprised of three members of City Council and three members of the Board of Education,” she said; she added that she will ask Council President Dominguez to schedule the first meeting under the new ordinance.

Maynard‑Adams also used her report to highlight recent outreach and funding work. She said she attended a Birth to Age 8 event with strong family participation and noted that the Office of Early Childhood is exploring long‑term funding opportunities for “B.P.” The Board will return to the subject when draft policy language is ready for committee review.

Next steps: Policy and Finance & Audit committees will draft implementing language for the non‑lapsing fund change and pursue coordination with the City Council to publish a meeting schedule and amend local ordinance language as needed.