School Board to Consider Safety, Technology, Capital Projects Tonight

The Board of Education will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at West Woods Upper Elementary School to discuss a number of things which may be of interest to parents and those following the budget process.

First, the board will recognize the FHS Boys Soccer Team for an outstanding season.

The board will also hear an update on school district safety and security from school administrators, the Farmington school resource officer and Police Chief Paul Melanson. The district has initiated a review of security issues in the district including outside security professionals, according to tonight’s agenda.

The superintendent will discuss the preliminary technology budget prepared by Technology Coordinator Ted Lindquist, including requested additions in new and replacement equipment, licenses and a fulltime technology support specialist. The 2013-14 request total is $901,650, according to the agenda, while the request in 2011-12 and 2012-13 were $641,599 and $769,705 respectively.

Finally, the board will discuss the Capital Improvement Projects budget for 2013-14. Capital projects are those that cost more than $25,000 and have an expected lifespan of more than five years.

The largest item on the capital improvement proposal is replacement of the heating plant at Irving A Robbins. The project was requested, but not funded in 2012-13, and has an anticipated cost of $1.1 million.

Technology infrastructure upgrades are requested at $527,800. And $75,000 – more than the $25,000 approved in previous years – has been requested for school code and safety compliance, which addresses safety and code issues in the school buildings. The plan also requests $145,000 for the removal and abandonment of underground storage tanks. 

The total requested for 2013-14 is $1,847,800. The board requested $1,498,300 in 2012-13, of which $600,000 was approved by the Town Council.

The plan also addresses anticipated requests for the upcoming years.