Southington Board approves five-year copier lease and will seek $279,036 to close fiscal-year shortfall
June 05, 2026 | Southington School District, School Districts, Connecticut
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The Southington Board of Education on June 2026 approved a five‑year copier lease with Automated Business Solutions and voted to ask the town’s Board of Finance for an appropriation to cover a projected $279,036 shortfall in the district’s operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26.
Board member Ms. Camuso summarized the finance committee’s recommendation after the administration presented a proposal to replace and reconfigure the district’s fleet of copiers. The proposal calls for 54 new Sharp machines plus repurposing 26 lower‑volume Canon units, installation of print‑management software and ongoing maintenance, and a projected annual cost of $223,839 (a 1.69% increase over current budgeted costs). ‘‘The Sharp proposal comes in under the fiscal 27 budget at a projected annual cost of $223,839,’’ Ms. Camuso said.
The committee said a full replacement of all 80 copiers would have produced an estimated 46%–110% cost increase; reusing 26 existing machines avoids that escalation, the report said. The board approved the lease motion unanimously.
The finance report also described a vendor termination: Nelts, the mowing services contractor for three school sites, notified the district on April 30 that it was terminating services effective immediately and had not mowed those sites at the time of the notice. The administration reassigned the sites to other bidders who originally bid the locations; that reassignment raises district costs by $9,120 for the 2026 growing season, the report said. The superintendent approved the reassignment to ensure continuity.
On food service, the administration reported year‑to‑date net income of $21,984 and an annual state match school lunch grant of $20,530 received in April; negative student meal debt stood at $19,270 as of April 30. The district said it is conducting outreach and will mail letters to families owing more than $100.
Because the board’s operating budget projects a $279,036 shortfall for fiscal 2025–26, the finance committee reached consensus to request an appropriation from the town Board of Finance at its June 17, 2026 meeting. The board voted to have the administration and board chair make that request; the motion passed unanimously on a roll call.
Next steps: the appropriation request will appear on the Board of Finance’s June 17 agenda. The copier lease will proceed under the approved terms and the district will continue outreach on meal debt and monitor final invoices and payroll cycles that affect the final fiscal projection.
Board member Ms. Camuso summarized the finance committee’s recommendation after the administration presented a proposal to replace and reconfigure the district’s fleet of copiers. The proposal calls for 54 new Sharp machines plus repurposing 26 lower‑volume Canon units, installation of print‑management software and ongoing maintenance, and a projected annual cost of $223,839 (a 1.69% increase over current budgeted costs). ‘‘The Sharp proposal comes in under the fiscal 27 budget at a projected annual cost of $223,839,’’ Ms. Camuso said.
The committee said a full replacement of all 80 copiers would have produced an estimated 46%–110% cost increase; reusing 26 existing machines avoids that escalation, the report said. The board approved the lease motion unanimously.
The finance report also described a vendor termination: Nelts, the mowing services contractor for three school sites, notified the district on April 30 that it was terminating services effective immediately and had not mowed those sites at the time of the notice. The administration reassigned the sites to other bidders who originally bid the locations; that reassignment raises district costs by $9,120 for the 2026 growing season, the report said. The superintendent approved the reassignment to ensure continuity.
On food service, the administration reported year‑to‑date net income of $21,984 and an annual state match school lunch grant of $20,530 received in April; negative student meal debt stood at $19,270 as of April 30. The district said it is conducting outreach and will mail letters to families owing more than $100.
Because the board’s operating budget projects a $279,036 shortfall for fiscal 2025–26, the finance committee reached consensus to request an appropriation from the town Board of Finance at its June 17, 2026 meeting. The board voted to have the administration and board chair make that request; the motion passed unanimously on a roll call.
Next steps: the appropriation request will appear on the Board of Finance’s June 17 agenda. The copier lease will proceed under the approved terms and the district will continue outreach on meal debt and monitor final invoices and payroll cycles that affect the final fiscal projection.
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