Republican-American Wednesday , March 28

FALLS VILLAGE — If the Region 1 Board of Education gives its approval, residents will be asked to vote on two questions at the upcoming budget referendum on May 8: the proposed budget and an ap­propriation for a building proj­ect that includes reroofing a portion of Housatonic Valley Regional High School, an up­grade to heating systems and meeting requirements for handicapped access.

The standing building com­mittee of Region 1 is recom­mending the work be combined into one large project, taking into consideration the histori­cally low interest rates current­ly in place, said Business Manager Samuel J. Herrick.

“Members consider the dis­trict’s debt service require­ments and other liabilities when scheduling capital projects and its impact on the budget. They believe they can achieve sav­ings through economies of scale of managing the work as one project rather than three indi­vidual projects.”

Committee Chairman Frank Perotti of Canaan said he favors adding the work required byt the Americans with Disabilities Act into the plan. “We have no choice. It has to be done to meet the requirements. We won’t be doing all of it this year, but we have to come up with a plan.”

He said the district will be getting 43.2 percent reimburse­ment, “which is a help.”

Working with Jacunski Humes Architects from Berlin, and ADA compliance consult­ant Christopher Laux, the com­mittee came up with the proposal that has a price of $3.5 million.

After taking grants into con­sideration, the cost of the roof to taxpayers will be $1.3 million; the heating system, $260,000; and the ADA piece, $738,270, leaving a bond issue amount of $2.3 million. Grants are avail­able for the roof and ADA work, but not the heating system.