Groton School Board Will Ask Town For $685,000

The Groton Board of Education will ask the town for $685,800 instead of $1.4 million for portable classrooms and the work needed to consolidate the town's middle schools, the school board decided Monday.

The Town Council will vote on the request tonight.

School Board Chairwoman Kirsten Hoyt said school officials worked with town manger Mark Oefinger and Groton Town Mayor Heather Bond Somers and decided the town and schools would split the costs about roughly in half.

Splitting the cost

The arrangement for the money is:

• Groton Public Schools would contribute $700,000.

• The town would contribute $685,000 (or $387,000 after state subsidy).

• Any savings in the project would be split 50-50 between the town and school district.

• Groton expects $596,000 in state reimbursement, which would be divided equally.

The board approved the request 5-1, with Beverly Washington voting against.

State Reimbursement

Groton qualifies for state reimbursement for the portables and related architectural services. Portables would cost about $688,000 at Cutler and $376,000 at West Side.

Kadri said he hopes reimbursement will arrive in the next fiscal year. Wes Greenleaf, director of buildings and grounds for the public schools, said reimbursement typically arrives about three months after a project is completed.

Kadri said the school department would cover its share of the cost by using money earmarked for items like computer replacement, security improvements, support for schools with disruptive students and library books.

Opposition

School Board Member Beverly Washington said she would not support the request. She said the district should keep Fitch Middle School open instead of putting students in portable classrooms.

 “I think that we are making a terrible mistake and wasting money,” she said.

But Board Vice Chairwoman Beth Gianacoplos said Washington voted for the consolidation.

Hoyt said the decision to close a middle school will save $2.7 million per year. Kadri estimated the savings over five years at $12.69 million.

Students' future

Board member Chaz Zezulka said he didn’t want to close a school either, but the board voted for it and must move forward.

He said he fears what would happen if the request was denied; he said class sizes would rise to the point that students would suffer.

“I’m not even worried about he taxpayers in Groton,” he said. “I’m worried about the kids in Groton.”