With the slow economy and the chance to plan to roll a three-year-plan to replace intercom/public address systems into one year, the price has dropped significantly on a proposed $425,000 bonding request for two Board of Education school improvement projects. On July 14, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) voted to bond $300,000 for two new projects instead of the original $425,000 figure proposed.

The projects include upgrading intercom/public address systems at four schools and completing skylight replacement at the high school.

Back on July 7, the RTM Ways and Means Committee first met with School Facilities Director Mark Demming and BOE chairman Frank Carrano to discuss the $425,000 request. At that meeting, the BOE delivered the news that a low bid had slashed the original intercom project cost dramatically, and the price had dropped on the skylight work as well. The committee and school representatives agreed both jobs could be done for $350,000; leaving some margin for cost overruns.

That was the figure Ways and Means Committee chair Sandra Reiners delivered as an amendment to the $425,000 bonding figure on the RTM July 14 agenda. However, before the RTM could vote on approving bonding $350,000, Representative Peter Black asked if perhaps the bonding shouldn't be reduced by another $50,000.

Black brought up the point that the low bid for the intercom system upgrades at Walsh Intermediate School and the town's three elementary schools came in at no more than $140,000 and the skylight repair estimate was $100,000. That's a total estimated expense of approximately $240,000.

By approving a $300,000 bond, "…that's $60,000 - $70,000 play for cost overruns," pointed out Black, who is also, a Ways and Means Committee member.

He then pointed to Demming's discussion (at the July 7 meeting) concerning a recent paving job at Branford Hills School. The job had an approved expense of $56,000 but came in at $41,000, Demming reported. Due to that fact, an additional $5,000 was spent to have the school's outdoor basketball court re-paved, as well.

"Because it came in at $41,000, he felt comfortable paving the basketball court there," Black said, adding of his proposal to change the bonding amount under discussion from $350,000 to $300,000, " …I'm not nickel and diming it right down to the last nickel and dime. We're leaving a 20 percent overrun. He's still got extra."