Milford Approves $8.8 Million In Bonding For School Improvements

MILFORD, CT — The Board of Aldermen approved $8.8 million in bonding for several school improvements, including

About $1.1 million will be used for playground and exterior play area improvements, including at Matthewson and Meadowside elementary schools.

The bonding amount is likely enough to cover just two playgrounds, Milford Board of Education Chief Operations Officer Jim Richetelli said at the meeting.

“If there’s enough money left over for a third one, we haven't determined which one that will be yet,” he said.

The playgrounds have a life expectancy of 20 years. New playgrounds are also built with accessibility in mind.

About $5.5 million of the bonding allocation will be used to improve technical education facilities and equipment at middle and high schools throughout town.

The technical education facility upgrades would compliment nearby Platt Technical High School and not meant as competition, Superintendent Anna Cutaia said.

“Platt Tech has an extensive waitlist,” she said. “And despite their beautiful new technical, technical building, they're not going to be able to take all the students that may be interested in attending,” she said.

Also, there may be students who are interested in technical education, but want to remain at either Jonathan Law or Joseph A. Foran high school, she said.

Another $1.1 million will be used for HVAC, ventilation and masonry improvements and $1.1 million will go toward installing air conditioning at various school buildings.

The Board of Education is prioritizing schools that have a second floor for air conditioning because they become the hottest during warm weather, Richetelli said.

The $1.1 million in bonding in addition to funding set aside in the American Rescue Plan Act should be enough to air condition the second floor of West Shore and a portion of the second floor at Jonathan Law, he said.