By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT – Calling it an exciting night, the Board of Finance on Wednesday unanimously approved an appropriation of $103 million for the new Long Lots Elementary School.

In a meeting that was just over an hour, several board members spoke about their enthusiasm for the project.

“I can’t believe I am actually reading this request,” Finance Board Chair Lee Caney said. “There have been a lot of meetings on this… Anyone who says we haven’t done our due diligence, I believe we have.”

The request now goes to the Representative Town Meeting, who will vote on the appropriation at the Town Hall Auditorium this evening at 7:30 p.m.

So far, the project was unanimously approved by the Conservation Commission and the Flood and Erosion Control Board last week and unanimously given a new “8-24” municipal use report by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday. On Tuesday, both the Education and Finance committees of the RTM approved the project.

The flood of meetings in the past two weeks has taken place so that the town can meet a June 30 deadline for grant funding for the 2026-’27 state budget. A town charter regulation requires a two-week break following an RTM vote for any expenditure over $500,000 to allow for the opportunity for the public to file a referendum.

Finance Board members were told on Wednesday about two recent additions to the cost of the project. To provide screening for neighbors, an additional $200,000 for trees was added, according to Building Committee Chairman Jay Keenan.

Also, the roof material was changed from shingles to a metal roof, which was the material originally planned for the building. The metal roof will cost an additional $1.7 million, according to Keenan. He added that the warranty for the metal roof is 50 years, twice that of the shingle one. “Long term, it’s a better investment,” Keenan said, adding that the metal roof also has a more aesthetic look.

Keenan told Finance Board members that he is pleased that the project has so far earned unanimous approval. “I know that spending every night at Town Hall is not fun,” he said. “But we are one day away from the finish line.”

Long Lots Principal Kim Ambrosio was one of few public speakers at the meeting, thanking the building committee for working tirelessly and creating a beautiful design.  “We are proud of our students, and we want to be proud of our school, too,” she said.

The town will need to seek $89.9 million in bonding for the project, which would take place in two steps, according to Gary Conrad, finance director for the town. The first one would be in September for about $34 million and the second next May for about $59 million. The town would receive about a 3.6 percent interest rate, he said, noting that the town has a AAA bond rating.

As far as impact on the taxpayer, Conrad said that for the median house, costing about $2 million, there would be about an $840 impact on taxes.

Finance board members said that the project was anticipated when adjusting the mill rate for this year, adding that they want any increase to be gradual.

Board member Jeff Hammer said his “yay” for the project was a strong one. He quoted former Finance Board member Jim Foster when he left the board saying, “I hope you still can accomplish big things.”

Hammer said he later learned how hard it is to reach a consensus on large projects and hoped that the town would not be “doomed to inactivity.” But, tonight, he said, “We are accomplishing a very big thing.”

Kerri Williams is a freelance writer who has worked in journalism for years, including as a reporter for the Norwalk Hour and managing editor of the Norwalk Citizen-News