Cheshire Boards Approve FF&E Plans for Two New Elementary Schools

Board of Education · Meeting of November 6, 2025

CT CHESHIRE — Cheshire boards approve furniture and technology plans for two new elementary schools set to open in 2026. The Board of Education and the Next Generation School Building Committee, meeting jointly at Dodd Middle School on November 6, unanimously approved FF&E and technology construction documents for Barnum Elementary School and Norton Elementary School and authorized their submission to the state for written approval. Combined FF&E and technology budgets are $3,520,000 for Barnum and $2,199,100 for Norton, within total project budgets of $89.9 million and $76.6 million respectively.

Current estimates show Barnum running roughly $610,000 under its FF&E allocation while Norton runs approximately $257,200 over — a gap officials said can be covered by Norton's $836,000 in bid savings or its $4,036,000 owner's contingency. Owner's representative Rich Sitnik of Arcadis confirmed both contingencies remain "very healthy." Recent Connecticut General Assembly legislation also increases state reimbursement for both projects by 15 percent on qualifying costs.

In the full story:

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Source: the Board of Education meeting of November 6, 2025, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

CHESHIRE — November 6, 2025 — The Cheshire Board of Education and the Next Generation School Building Committee jointly approved furniture, fixtures, equipment, and technology plans for both new elementary schools Thursday evening in a series of unanimous votes at Dodd Middle School.

The two bodies approved construction documents and cost estimates for Barnum Elementary School (formerly North End Elementary) and Norton Elementary School and authorized submission of those documents to the state of Connecticut for final approval. Combined FF&E and technology budgets stand at $3,520,000 for Barnum and $2,199,100 for Norton, within total project budgets of $89.9 million and $76.6 million, respectively.

The Full Story

Justin Hopkins, a senior project manager at Tecton Architects, led the presentation, walking members of both bodies through furniture selections, maintenance equipment, and technology specifications for the two schools. Joining him was Nicole Tatro, a Tecton colleague who Hopkins said had been leading the FF&E process and was familiar to staff across the district.

Hopkins said both buildings remain on schedule and under budget, with an anticipated move-in date of summer 2026. "Both buildings are on schedule, under budget, ready to be occupied summer 2026," he said. Norton Elementary's timeline involves an added layer of complexity: once the new building is ready, the existing Norton building will be vacated, abated, and demolished, with parking and stormwater work completing in the fall.

The evening's central budget discussion concerned a projected shortfall on the Norton FF&E package. Current estimates put the combined Norton FF&E and technology cost at $2,455,800 — roughly $257,200 over its allocated budget of $2,198,600. Barnum, by contrast, is estimated at $2,910,049, leaving a surplus of approximately $609,951 against its $3,520,000 allocation. Hopkins presented three options: approve only Barnum, approve both and rely on bid savings to close the gap, or approve both and immediately transfer funds from project contingency to cover Norton's shortfall.

Rich Sitnik, the owner's representative from Arcadis, told the committee that Norton's bid savings total $836,000 and the owner's contingency stands at $4,036,000 — figures he offered to reassure members that absorbing a $257,200 adjustment would not strain the project. One committee member moved to allocate $257,200 from bid savings to Norton's FF&E and technology budget, and the committee discussed the competing merits of options two and three at length before proceeding to formal votes.

"If we allocate it here, then when we vote on or consider other things, whether it's an unforeseen, whether it's a change that's the Board of Ed or somebody else deems necessary or nice to have, we're having that discussion looking at a budget that's available rather than a budget that might be fictitiously elevated because we know we're going to need that." [No timestamp available] — Building committee member, identified in transcript as Chris

Hopkins also noted a welcome development on state reimbursement: recent legislation enacted by the Connecticut General Assembly increases the state reimbursement rate for Barnum by 15 percent and for a portion of Norton by 15 percent.

On tariffs, Hopkins said the committee has received one claim from a subcontractor and has not approved it. "Our attorney has been involved with that procedure in that we want to make sure that we very clearly and consistently analyze any tariff claims that might come before us," he said. He noted that subcontractors bid the projects in November 2024, before tariff increases took effect, and that the committee is scrutinizing any claims that the added costs were unforeseeable at bid time.

The meeting also served as a farewell moment for at least one long-serving Board of Education member, who said it was his 16th and final year on the board. "When the public sees these schools and their kids start going through them, you're going to feel totally elated," he told the building committee.

Why It Matters

Cheshire is in the final stretch of a multi-year, roughly $166 million school construction program that will replace two aging elementary schools. With both buildings on track for summer 2026 occupancy, the FF&E approvals cleared Thursday are a prerequisite for the state reimbursement process and allow the district to begin phased procurement ahead of the delivery lead times needed to furnish the schools before students arrive in September 2026. The $257,200 Norton budget gap — modest against a combined contingency and bid-savings cushion exceeding $4.8 million — will be resolved either through bid savings when the technology package goes to bid or through a formal contingency transfer, a decision the Next Generation School Building Committee retains authority to make.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Next Generation School Building Committee approves FF&E construction documents, specifications, and cost estimates for Norton Elementary School (State Project No. 025-0102N), Phase 3 FF&E and Phase 4 data/technology equipment, documents dated October 31 and cost estimates dated November 6 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Cheshire Board of Education approves FF&E documents for Norton Elementary School (State Project No. 025-0102N), Phase 3 FF&E and Phase 4 data/technology equipment, documents dated October 31 and cost estimates dated November 6 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Next Generation School Building Committee authorizes submission of Norton Elementary School FF&E documents to the State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services / Office of Government Accountability Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Next Generation School Building Committee approves FF&E construction documents, specifications, and cost estimates for North End Elementary School (State Project No. 025-0103N), Phase 3 FF&E and Phase 4 data/technology equipment, documents dated October 31 and cost estimates dated November 6 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Cheshire Board of Education approves FF&E documents for North End Elementary School (State Project No. 025-0103N), Phase 3 FF&E and Phase 4 data/technology equipment, documents dated October 31 and cost estimates dated November 6 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Next Generation School Building Committee authorizes submission of North End Elementary School FF&E documents to the State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative Services / Office of Government Accountability Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Cheshire's community access TV: Board of Education / Next Generation School Building Committee joint meeting, November 6, 2025