New Leb Vote in RTM Postponed

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The vote that was scheduled to take place last night at the Representative Town Meeting on whether or not to recommend the release of funds to the Board of Estimate and Taxation on the New Lebanon School construction project has been postponed. The RTM will meet instead at a special meeting being called in late November.

In a series of moves designed to allow for more time without serious financial consequences, the RTM is taking a wait and see approach to allow for a potential state budget compromise to factor into their vote. It is possible that a budget will be passed in Hartford within the next thirty days and will inform the RTM on whether or not they can expect part of the project’s cost to be reimbursed by the state.

One reason the vote on the school’s construction was scheduled for last night was that the construction bids were set to expire on Wednesday, causing further delays and expense. Instead, New Lebanon school’s building committee received a requested extension into late November. Once the bids expire, the work to rebuild the school would need to go through a new bid process, which will likely result in increased costs – one reason the RTM is being asked to move the process forward before that happens.

The BET had been set to hold a special meeting on Tuesday to take the RTM’s recommendation under advisement and to vote on whether to release the $34.359 million in funding for the new elementary school. That meeting is also being postponed.

All eyes now turn to Hartford once again and the state budget.

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