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Council debates school equipment requests after prior $2.9M guarantee; some members question school department candor
Summary
Councilors probed a school department request for $676,400 in equipment and maintenance, linking it to a prior $2.9M city guarantee and alleging the department reallocated earlier funds. A councilor said he was hesitant to approve additional requests until the department accounts for previously committed funds.
A councilor questioned a new school equipment request of $676,400 and tied it to an earlier $2.9 million commitment the council had made to the school building committee. The councilor said the schools later allocated $750,000 to a parking lot at Rogers High School and accused the school department of not being fully candid about prior commitments: "Frankly, I don't trust them," he said during the workshop.
The school director (Robert Young) explained the equipment request includes rooftop HVAC units at Thompson Middle School and described prior rooftop replacement work; staff offered to provide surplus and fund‑balance details for council review. Councilors asked staff to supply the school surplus numbers and detailed breakdowns before taking further action on the equipment request.
