Farmington Contingent: Give FHS Project 'Promised' Reimbursement

FARMINGTON, CT — Farmington lawmakers — State Sen. Derek Slap (D-West Hartford), State Rep. Tammy Exum (D-West Hartford, Farmington, Avon), and State Rep. Mike Demicco (D-Farmington) Monday testified in front of the legislative Education Committee today in an efforts to "ensure that Farmington receives its promised reimbursement rate for renovation work performed at Farmington High School."

According to the contingent, in 2021, Farmington school officials were told the state would provide a 29 percent reimbursement rate for work renovating the "900 wing" of Farmington High School. The town is building a new high school, also renovating a section of the existing school, including upgrading athletic facilities and the central administration office.

They also said that, in December 2021, the town was informed the reimbursement rate would be reduced, resulting in a deficit of $915,000.

The legislators want to "amend legislation before the Committee to attain the initial reimbursement rate promised."

Here what they told the committee:

Slap: "The people of Farmington voted to renovate Farmington High School with the expectation of a certain level of funding from the state, only to learn that funding would change and the town would be left with a deficit of nearly $1 million. The town should be made whole so it does not suffer financially due to circumstances completely out of its control."

Demicco: "Our entire delegation is committed to making Farmington whole by ensuring we receive the total amount of the school construction grant that we were promised for the new high school. We each are fighting to ensure that this happens for Farmington taxpayers and students."

Exum: "You're only as a good as your word. A promise was made to the community. That promise needs to be kept."

The contingent wants to amend the language of Senate Bill 429, a bill in front of the Education Committee that would authorize state grant commitments for school building projects. That legislation, as drafted, would utilize an adjusted reimbursement rate for the renovations at Farmington High School instead of the initially agreed-upon rate. If it were to pass as drafted, the town would fall into a financial deficit of $915,000, the contingent said.