Council Doles Out $300K For West Hartford School System

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The town council delivered a nice holiday present for the local school system in the form of funds to help it purchase new technology infrastructure and furniture.

At the last West Hartford Town Council meeting on Dec. 10, 2024, the council unanimously approved a resolution to transfer $300,000 from surplus capital non-recurring funds to the West Hartford Board of Education.

According to the resolution, $200,000 will go toward school system computer infrastructure work, while $100,000 will be spent on new furniture/equipment for local schools.

Town officials said re-allocating the surplus cash represents an investment in local education.

"This ongoing investment in educational and administrative computing is a critical element in providing what has become basic functionality in today’s technology-reliant education environment," wrote West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith in a memo to the council

"The furniture and equipment replacement program provides for the periodic replacement of furniture and equipment district-wide as the inventory becomes worn out, unable to be repaired or unsafe."

Ledwith said the tech upgrades/furniture were initially requested by the school board during the most recent budget process.

Those items, he said, however, were cut with the understanding that should surplus capital funds be available, the town could come back and appropriate those funds for the request..

Ledwith said the school board regularly makes requests for a share of the town's capital budget for various items.

"We will, as a practice, reduce those requests during the budget process, then make an appropriation later in the year when we know we have a surplus," Ledwith said.

With available surplus available, Ledwith said, the funds are easily transferable, a common practice every year.

"This is a fairly routine, annual request, that we will put on the agenda for the board of education," Ledwith said.

Council members offered no comments and easily approved the resolution.

For the full, approved resolution, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Dec. 10 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.