The health report on Sanford schools’ HVAC equipment shows that exhaust fans at Sanford Middle School should have been replaced 38 years ago. Photo: Zendelle Bouchard
By Zendelle Bouchard
The Sanford School District will receive $230,490 in additional funds this year from the state, after the legislature passed the Fiscal Year 2027 Supplemental Budget with one-time funding directed to districts with 40% or more economically disadvantaged students. This additional funding is not part of the Essential Programs and Services allocation from the state and will not impact future EPS funding. Just over 60% of Sanford students are classified as economically disadvantaged.
The City Council voted 4-2 to put the full amount of the one-time funds in the school department’s capital reserves to go toward future equipment purchases and major repairs. Councilors Nate Hitchcock and Jonathan Martell advocated for using half of the money to offset property taxes, but after looking at a health report on the schools’ HVAC equipment, some of which is decades overdue for replacement, the other four Councilors present were convinced that the money would be better put in capital reserves.
School Facilities and Maintenance Director Jason Dudley had initially requested $514,000 for equipment maintenance in next year’s budget, but that figure was slashed to $115,000 during the budget process, School Superintendent Matt Nelson told the Council.
Mayor Becky Brink called the HVAC report “quite the eye opener” and expressed concern that if heating equipment is allowed to fail, schools could shut down. “Educators typically spend money on children; they don’t spend money on facilities. This to me is an opportunity to spend money on the facilities,” she said. Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy pointed out that money budgeted for capital improvements cannot be used for any other purpose per the city’s charter and called it a safe way to set aside money for expenses that taxpayers will eventually have to fund.
Putting the additional funding toward capital improvements means the bottom line for Sanford property taxpayers is a 6.52% increase in net to taxation, or an 89 cent increase per $1,000 of valuation.
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