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Showing posts with the label bond

Council sends $511 million school rebuild to November voters

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  The Enfield Town Council voted unanimously to approve a $511 million school project, supported by an $89 million town share. Voters will have final say in November.  The Town Council voted Wednesday unanimously to send a $511 million plan to Enfield voters to rebuild the town's elementary school system. The town's cost is $89 million, and that's what voters will be asked to approve in November. The plan builds four new PK-5 schools on the sites of Hazardville Memorial, Prudence Crandall, Edgar H. Parkman and Henry Barnard, and converts Eli Whitney into a new home for Eagle Academy. Work runs in two phases. The entire project will take seven to eight years. Mayor Gina Cekala said Enfield doesn't have much choice. "$89 million is a lot of money. It sounds like a lot of money. It is a lot of money," she said. But she put the town's share in proportion. Of the $511 million, "Enfield is going to be responsible for a maximum of 17% of this project."...

JFK middle school renovation is a battle over Enfield’s future

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JFK Middle School, Enfield CT Enfield voters are being asked to approve $84 million to renovate the John F. Kennedy Middle School . The town’s share of the cost is $27 million. The state is paying for 70 percent of the work. Whether town voters will approve it is a major problem. The referendum failed in 2017 , about 3,640 votes to 3,200. The town trimmed back the project from $95 million. The town share was reduced from $35 million. It’s hard to know whether the reduction in cost has made a difference in support. The opposition is in evidence on Facebook Enfield CT Open Forum . It’s frustrating. The opponents are mostly just complaining about taxes, and accusing the town of mismanagement. The big risk is state funding. The state kept its 70% reimbursement in place, despite the 2017 referendum rejection. That’s a hefty commitment by the state. If the referendum fails a second time, it’s possible -- probably very likely -- that the state will withdraw its commitment. Th...