After much discussion over the method of financing, the Westport Board of Education voted tonight to seek $290,000 to air condition the cafeteria and gymnasium at Coleytown Elementary School.
It is the only school among eight in the district that does not have air conditioning in these key areas. The issue has been in the capital project list since at least 2005 for the school, which opened in 1953.
At issue was whether the board should fund the project from its Capital Expenditure Offset Account and the Food Service Capital Account, as recommended by Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon, or go to the town funding bodies with a capital project appropriation request.
A lengthy debate ensued, with member Mark Mathias summing up: “It’s a capital project. The Board of Finance as far as I know has always approved a request we’ve had for capital projects … This is the way it should be done.”
Chair Michael Gordon said he had no doubt the project would win approval but said “It’s going to be one less item we have to fight for.”
By a 4-3 vote, the board then voted to amend Landon’s recommendation so the funding would be requested from the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
The board was told that in order for the project to be completed by June, RTM approval must come no later than at its early February meeting.
