SOUTHBURY — A plan to build two new elementary school buildings in Region 15 will go to a special referendum next month, where voters in Middlebury and Southbury will decide whether to approve a $224 million bond to pay for the projects. The Board of Education for the Pomperaug Regional School District 15 wants to replace its two oldest buildings, Gainfield and Pomperaug elementary schools, both in Southbury. The two new projects would be completed on the same sites as the existing schools. The board approved the language in the referendum question during a meeting in late March, after holding a public hearing on the projects. “This was an extremely thoughtful, collaborative process with both towns. The committee spent a lot of time and research to get here,” said Joshua Smith, Region 15’s superintendent of schools. “We understand it’s a big project for the community. We believe the state incentives available and the timing make doing the projects now more effective than delaying.” The new buildings would accommodate more students, with a capacity of about 550 students in each, and give the district additional preschool space, Smith said. District officials estimated Region 15 would be reimbursed up to 64% of the projects’ eligible expenses under the Connecticut’s School Construction Grant program. After deducting the reimbursements, the final costs for local taxpayers would be about $86 million, according to district estimates. The reimbursement includes a 15% state incentive for including preschool space in the project, Smith said. Without that incentive, the district’s reimbursement rate would be less than 50%, he said.
Southbury, Middlebury voters to decide on $224M bond to build two new elementary schools
