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FAIRFIELD, Conn. — No repairs will be made at Tomlinson Middle School, at least not this year. The Representative Town Meeting voted not to spend $250,000 to fix the school’s front façade and doors at its meeting Wednesday night.
The school district had asked for funding for the repairs in April. The update would replace rotting portions on the front of the building, plus six doors. Fairfield Public Schools Director of Operations Thomas Cullen said the district believes those problems pose a safety hazard to Tomlinson’s kids. The doors, for instance, do not close properly, which could be a fire hazard because they are meant to keep flames from spreading from one part of the building to another.
“If the custodians doesn’t follow around the whole school and force the doors shut, then the doors stay cracked open,” Cullen said.
The representatives, however, turned down the proposal, 22-14, with one abstention. Dissenting voter James Millington (R-9) said that, with the spending for the third train station project and other school projects, the town could not afford Tomlinson’s repairs. “I don’t think at this point it’s a top priority,” Hoffman said. “If it is, we can separate out the doors and vote again.”
Fairfield’s Board of Education will decide next spring whether it wants to bring up the project again for approval. Vice Chair Pamela Iacono warned the representatives before their vote that putting off the problem could mean a higher price later.
“I understand all the money that we are facing right now,” Iacono said. “But please keep in mind that as we push things off, they just cost more in the future.”
Do you think Tomlinson’s front entrance needs repairs? Share your thought in the comments below.
Comments (1)
Thank-you , RTM members. This is a small step, but it is significant. The Board of Education should be instructed to break all projects down into their component units, so the RTM members have good facts and figures to go by-- not just exclamations that " this is for safety" or that " if you don't give us the money now-- we'll be back for more later " . The taxpayers spent millions on Tomlinson-- and they are still not finished paying. Why are not the contractors and manufacturers/ installers of these doors and windows being held accountable for defects and short service lives ? The taxpayers cannot keep paying, simply because the Board of Ed exclaims " it's for the children ! "
Most of the $ 160 million the Board gets does not get to the children-- a huge chunk is taken by administrators for an over-sized bureauocracy. I applaud the RTM members who had the courage to vote NO on this latest request.It was quite clear that true safety related items would be approved if they were well thought out and properly presented, not couched in with other wants and wishes.Hugh Dolan