NEW MILFORD, CT — The New Milford Board of Finance unanimously approved a funding plan Oct. 28 that would direct $500,000 from the town's Waste Management Fund toward the New Milford High School tennis court project while reallocating another $500,000 for future school heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements and security upgrades.
The board also approved $38,000 for repairs at the John Pettibone Community Center and a $5,000 transfer to support Commission on the Arts activities.
The Board of Finance unanimously approved appropriating $500,000 from the Waste Management Fund toward the New Milford High School tennis court project.
The board also approved reallocating $500,000 from the $1.1 million previously designated for the project, directing $250,000 toward future Board of Education HVAC replacements and improvements and $250,000 toward school security updates.
Vice Chairman Walter Bayer introduced the motion, which Brian Whitfield seconded.
Mayor Pete Bass explained that the town and Board of Education had been reviewing their five-year capital plans to identify projects that could benefit from available municipal resources.
Bass said the Board of Education had applied for a grant through the American Tennis Association, but the grant required the courts to be used exclusively for tennis.
Because the town wants to accommodate both tennis and pickleball, the project would not qualify for that funding, he said.
Bass also cited the state's focus on improving indoor air quality in school buildings as a reason to reserve money for future HVAC work.
He said the Waste Management Fund contains approximately $20 million and that the proposed $500,000 appropriation would come from that account.
According to Bass, the Town Council had already approved the funding request unanimously.
The Board of Finance subsequently approved the proposal without opposition.
The board unanimously approved transferring $38,000 from the town's contingency account to building maintenance for repairs at the south end of the John Pettibone Community Center.
Bass said approximately 35 percent of the building is currently unusable because of a creosote odor associated with old windows.
He said the proposed repairs would involve removing the windows to eliminate the odor and make more of the building available for community organizations, including the Youth Agency.
Bayer moved to approve the transfer, with Whitfield seconding.
The motion passed unanimously.
The board also unanimously approved transferring $5,000 from the Commission on the Arts' self-sustaining revenue account to its self-sustaining expenditure account for fundraising events.
Bass explained that revenue generated by Gallery 25 is deposited into an account with a $500 budget.
Revenue exceeding that amount has been going into the town's unassigned fund balance.
The commission wants to use the additional money to reinvest in artwork for Gallery 25, Bass said.
Bayer introduced the transfer motion, which Joe Troiano seconded.
The board approved it unanimously.
Finance Director Olga Alizarchyk reported that the town's finances were performing as expected at the end of the first quarter of the fiscal year.
She said municipal revenues were on track and state revenue payments were arriving as scheduled.
The Building Department was generating more revenue than anticipated, while interest rates remained around 4 percent, she reported.
Alizarchyk said departmental expenses were generally tracking according to expectations and identified no significant areas of concern.
The board unanimously voted to accept her report on a motion by Bayer, seconded by Whitfield.
During new and old business, alternate board member Korey Linder raised concerns about the condition of the tennis courts at Sarah Noble.
Linder said the courts were in disrepair and could benefit from improvements.
The board unanimously approved its 2027 meeting calendar.
Bayer introduced the motion, which Linder seconded.
This report is based on the New Milford Board of Finance's Oct. 28, 2026, draft meeting minutes, which remain subject to approval.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
New Milford Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.