After almost two hours of debate, the Board of Education voted to send a request to borrow $57.5 million for school renovations to voters on November 8. If approved, the borrowing will pay for planning the project and then installing new boilers, updated electrical systems and HVAC systems in Mile Creek Elementary, Lyme Consolidated School, Center School and Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School. The money will also be used to bring the buildings up to code where necessary, to install sprinklers in two of the buildings and make sure that all buildings are compliant with the American Disabilities Act. The district expects to receive $9.7 million back in reimbursement from the state, reducing the total cost to about $48 million. “The big chunk is the HVAC,” said Warrington. “You have unit ventilators that are totally outdated. We don’t even install those. They’re probably 20 years out of service. You’re going to get to the point where Ron Turner can’t even service those pretty soon.”
$57.5 Million Proposal Heads to Lyme-Old Lyme Voters, as Packed Room Debates Board Oversight