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Windham Board approves $550,000 for Natchaug boilers and waives bids for two school contracts
Summary
On July 2, 2026, the Windham Board of Education unanimously approved using $550,000 of a one-time $3.7 million state supplemental allotment to replace boilers at Natchaug School and voted to waive bids for Tucker Mechanical and School Specialty to do the boiler work and finish the Windham Middle School library project.
The Windham Board of Education voted unanimously on July 2, 2026, to allocate $550,000 from a one-time $3.7 million state supplemental grant to reimburse the Town for replacement of boilers at Natchaug School and to waive competitive bidding for two related contracts.
Board Chair Lynne Ide opened the special meeting at 6:01 p.m. and, with board member Brendan O'Neill, outlined three items recommended by the School Planning and Design Committee: using $550,000 of the state funding for Natchaug School boiler replacement; a bid waiver to hire Tucker Mechanical to replace the two boilers at Natchaug School; and a bid waiver to hire School Specialty to complete the Windham Middle School library media center project.
The motion to authorize use of $550,000 was made by Board member Paula Haney and seconded by Brendan O'Neill; the board approved the measure unanimously. The record states the board chose reimbursement from the one-time state funding rather than issuing a bond. The district expects to receive the $3.7 million supplemental funding from the state by the end of October 2026.
The board then approved a bid waiver to contract with Tucker Mechanical for the two Natchaug boilers. That motion was made by Brendan O'Neill and seconded by Mia Mitoma and approved unanimously; the minutes note the School Planning and Design Committee recommended the waiver.
A separate bid waiver to contract with School Specialty to finish the Windham Middle School library media center project was also approved unanimously on a motion by Brendan O'Neill, seconded by Mia Mitoma; the committee had recommended this waiver as well.
The special meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m. The minutes were signed by Board Chair Lynne Ide and later recorded as approved on July 15, 2026. The actions taken are limited to the three votes recorded in the minutes; no additional details (contract amounts for the vendors, timelines for construction, or bond alternatives beyond the reimbursement decision) are specified in the meeting record.
