Somers Referendum Voters Approve Additional Funding For School HVAC

SOMERS, CT — A referendum concerning an additional appropriation of funding for HVAC work at Somers Elementary School passed Tuesday, with 62 percent of voters in favor of the needed extra expenditure.

A meager turnout at the polls saw 198 citizens in favor of increasing the previously-approved $10.5 million for the project to $15 million, while 121 voters were against the proposal. According to figures released by the Somers Registrar's office, the participation of just 319 residents represented only 4.71 percent of the town's 6,766 registered voters.

In Nov. 2023, 61.2 percent of voters approved a $10.5 million spending package to improve the air quality at the school, which formerly housed Somers High School. Air conditioning would also be implemented throughout the building, whereas the current setup only provides air conditioning in the main office, library and preschool.

The project was originally estimated to cost around $9.4 million, Chief Financial Officer Brian Wissinger told Patch.

In May, Somers was approved for state funding through the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program. The grant would reimburse the town for 62.5 percent of the project costs, up to $5.8 million, Wissinger said.

However, when construction manager Gilbane Building Co. received the original estimate, it realized some shortfalls, including the proposal being based on hiring a general contractor and a calculation of eight months being needed to complete the work.

Wissinger said a more realistic timeframe is 22 months, raising concerns about where to house students during the construction process.