School Board signs off on a bundle of end-of-year encumbrances including gym work, auditorium cleaning and safety equipment

At its June 30 meeting the Litchfield School Board approved a package of end-of-year encumbrances to address safety, maintenance and capital needs across district facilities.

Key actions taken: the board authorized replacement of a non-repairable GMS kitchen fire drop curtain (administration advanced the lower available quote and the board approved encumbering funds for the replacement); approved CHS gym wall painting (~$13,765) and stairwell painting (~$10,960) to be completed over the summer; approved a $27,000 sanding and repair of the LMS gym floor after discussion of termite damage and gouges; approved replacement of CHS music-room carpet (quote ultimately recorded at $18,339; motion carried 3-1); approved replacement wrestling mats (~$12,306) citing safety and fundraising support; and approved professional cleaning of CHS auditorium seats (~$2,200) while deferring larger auditorium renovations.

Board discussion repeatedly referenced the district CIP and the need to balance immediate safety needs with long-term reserve planning. Members said when quotes were obtained the actual costs sometimes came in higher or lower than historic CIP estimates and that the new facilities director (Zachary Hurley) will help prioritize projects going forward.

Votes varied by item; the minutes record several measures carried unanimously or by majority depending on remote participation and individual member preference. The board asked administration to track final invoices, encumbrances, and impacts on the amount proposed to be returned to taxpayers at year end.

Next steps: administration will finalize vendor work orders, encumber the approved dollars, and report out when invoices are processed so the board can reconcile actual expenditures against return-to-taxpayer projections.