Weston board pauses North House HVAC after state moves grant; local share about $1.9 million

Superintendent Forte told the Weston Board of Education on Monday that a planned upgrade to the North House HVAC system is on hold after the state moved the indoor-air-quality (IAQ) grant to the Department of Administrative Services and changed how the program is administered.

The change means the district cannot rely on the reimbursement structure it had expected and must pause the project until town-level funding and formal approvals are secured, Forte said. "We do not have funding. So in effect, we are starting from scratch," he said. The board had previously asked the town to fund initial design and equipment steps; a special appropriation of $600,000 was approved earlier this month but the project lacks final authorization.

Why it matters: The district had estimated the project at roughly $2.4 million. Forte said the state’s general construction reimbursement rate for school projects is 22.14 percent (about $537,000 on a $2.4 million estimate) and, allowing for ineligible costs, net reimbursement was estimated at about $488,000 — leaving an approximate local share of $1.9 million. That local portion would need to be approved by town voters through a referendum as part of the district’s budget process, he said.

Board members pressed staff on timing and process. Forte said the Board of Education must first approve the project, then the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance will act, and the referendum wording and timing will be coordinated with those bodies. He recommended including the item in the capital budget and presenting the local share as a referendum line item so voters can approve or reject it directly. "For the grant, the full amount of the town's portion or the local portion has to be approved by a referendum," he said.

Staff described procedural steps and a likely schedule: if the town approves the referendum and the state department (DAS) signs off, the district anticipates issuing an RFP in November–December 2026 to start work in June 2027. Forte also said the board should expect to return to the Board of Finance with firm numbers and to pursue available grants, noting that the district must follow the grant application process under DAS rules.

Questions from board members focused on whether costs would rise if the project is delayed by a year and on what the town ballot will ask voters to approve. Forte said cost escalation was possible but not expected to be dramatic and reaffirmed the board’s plan to provide detailed process documents, deadlines and a multi-year capital forecast to the board before the next meeting.

What’s next: Staff committed to deliver a written process timeline, a RFP/approval schedule and a 4–10 year capital plan to clarify sequencing and financial impact for voters. The board will consider the capital request, including the North House line item, in upcoming meetings and expects to present the operating budget and related referendum wording at the regular budget votes next spring.