KENT—Referendum voting to approve or deny $5.6 million in improvements and renovations at Housatonic Valley Regional High School will be held Jan. 8 from 6 a.m. go 8 p.m. at town hall.
If approved, the resolution would also authorize the issue of bonds and notes to finance the appropriation. The impact of a new bond issue would boost the 2024-25 Region 1 budget by $138,859. In Kent, this would add $17,778 to its budget.
In the 2023-24 budget, debt accounted for 5 percent of a $17,031,827 Region 1 budget. That level would increase to 5.59 percent in 2024-25, and then drop to 4.23 percent of an anticipated $18.5 million Region 1 budget in 2025-26.
The proposed facilities upgrade was presented in a quiet public hearing held in early December.
The project has been under consideration for years, with Jacunski Humes Architects having provided a school facilities study in 2020.
Report in hand, the HVRHS Building Committee determined the 12 highest-priority projects among 58 areas suggested by the Jacunski and drawings and specifications were commissioned.
Areas selected include renovations to the cafeteria and auditorium; science wing restrooms upgrades; improvement of the air handling and air conditioning systems in Room 133 and central office; rehabilitation of the crumbling tennis courts; installation of a whole-school generator; audio-visual equipment for the auditorium and cafeteria; masonry repairs around the school; installation of a new fire alarm and breaker boxes; and replacement of the cupola.
All registered Kent voters can vote, as can anyone who owns property valued at $1,000 or more on the town’s Grand List as of Oct. 1, 2023.
Property owners are not eligible to vote if they purchased their property after Oct. 1 or if it is held in a trust of any kind, is a corporation, or an LLC.
