WeHa Schools Receive Computer Cash From Council

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The West Hartford School System this week was the beneficiary of a large appropriation from the West Hartford Town Council that will maintain its high-tech education system.

The council unanimously voted Tuesday to appropriate $450,000 from the town's capital non-recurring expenditures fund to the school system for computer and furniture upgrades.

It will fund furniture and equipment purchases district-wide as the current high-tech computer inventory "becomes worn out, unable to be repaired or unsafe," according to West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith in a memo to the council.

"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," Ledwith wrote to the council before Tuesday's meeting.

During the meeting, Ledwith explained the West Hartford Board of Education a year ago had this dollar amount in its budget request for 2023-24.

But, he said, it was taken out under the condition that should West Hartford have a budget surplus, school officials would seek the funding through a special appropriation later.

"The council should know that this is not a new request and the board of education had this request in their budget proposal for fiscal year 2024," Ledwith said.

He explained the town was able, from the last budget, to add $3 million into the capital non-recurring fund due to some surplus funding available.

Council members were happy to oblige the school board.

"This is just more evidence of our great relationship with our board of ed," said West Hartford Deputy Mayor Ben Wenograd, adding many towns do not have the school board and top governing board working so well together. "This is completing that arrangement."

Of the amount, $300,000 will go toward computer purchases and upgrades, with $150,000 for furniture.

It prompted Councilperson Debra Polun to remark about how times have changed and how the role of technology in the classroom is so vital to education.

"This is the kind of thing we would not have had to do 30 or 40 years ago," Polun said. "But now we know we have a very robust curriculum that even teaches computer science to kindergarten and first-grade."

For the full appropriation resolution, click on this link.