ENFIELD, CT — Enfield voters have approved the town's school construction plan. The next work centers on grant approvals, school designs and how to pay for the project over several years.
The proposal passed 4,338 to 4,049, a margin of 289 votes, according to the unofficial totals in Patch's election results coverage.
The vote approved a $511 million project to build new elementary schools at Hazardville Memorial, Prudence Crandall, Edgar H. Parkman and Henry Barnard, and turn Eli Whitney into Eagle Academy Therapeutic Day School.
It also allows the town to borrow up to $89 million, with grants and other available money covering the rest, according to the town's official ballot explanation.
The school planning committee had already listed the next steps before Election Day. Its Oct. 28 agenda called for finishing additional grant paperwork, submitting the certified vote, obtaining grant approvals and reviewing the design and construction schedule. The agenda is reproduced in MyTown's listing of Enfield meeting records; Patch also reviewed a copy of the original agenda.
Those agenda items show the work officials planned to tackle. They do not show which steps have been completed since Tuesday's vote.
In September, CT Insider reported that Hazardville Memorial and Prudence Crandall had received state funding approval, while Parkman, Barnard and Eagle Academy still needed to go through the state process. Patch has not confirmed whether that status has changed.
Under the state's standard school construction grant process, projects on the state priority list go through legislative review. Grant commitment letters follow approval by the legislature and the governor.
The state also requires written approval of final project plans before construction bids to keep a project eligible for grant assistance. A grant commitment and approval of the final building plans are separate steps.
READ MORE:
The planning schedule calls for work in two groups. CT Insider reported Wednesday that design work is expected to begin in 2026, with construction starting in 2028 and work continuing in phases through 2032.
As Patch reported on the April presentation, the targets were fall 2030 for three elementary schools and fall 2032 for the fourth elementary school and Eagle Academy. These are planning targets, not guaranteed opening dates.
The project would replace the current split between kindergarten-through-second-grade schools and third-through-fifth-grade schools with buildings serving prekindergarten through fifth grade.
The supporting Enfield Planning Tomorrows Opportunities PAC's FAQ says changes to school attendance boundaries would likely come near the end of the project, between 2032 and 2033. That is the campaign's published expectation, not a final assignment plan for individual families.
State Rep. John Santanella welcomed the result in a public Facebook post and accompanying statement.
"I have supported this project throughout its development, and my commitment continues as we move from planning to construction," he wrote.
Santanella said he would work with the town's legislative delegation, state agencies and legislative leaders to seek the greatest possible state reimbursement, look for more funding and help Enfield through the approval process.
"Keeping this investment affordable for local taxpayers must remain a priority as we deliver the schools our students and educators deserve," he wrote.
The town's ballot explanation estimates that the state would cover about 83 percent of the project cost, leaving roughly $89 million for Enfield. It describes that percentage as an estimate.
The borrowing limit does not include interest. The amount a homeowner pays will depend on borrowing terms and future town budgets. Tuesday's vote alone does not set an individual household's tax increase.
For families and taxpayers, the next details to watch are the grant commitments for each school, an updated schedule, the borrowing plan and when officials will seek public input on building designs and school assignments.
The close vote also leaves a sizable group of residents who voted no: 4,049, or about 48 percent of those voting on the question. The vote totals show the level of opposition, but do not explain each voter's reasons.
For background on the building problems behind the proposal, read Patch's report on school damage and the referendum debate.
For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Enfield Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.