School Security Upgrades Might Be Eligible for Local Grant Funds

As a means to offset some of the cost associated with increasing security at the town's schools, a portion of the estimated $410,000 cost might be paid for with state grant funds given annually to the town.

Town Manager Matthew Galligan told town council members Monday night that the schools might be eligible to use up to $170,000 from the state LOCIP fund grant given each year to the town to make the necessary renovations and changes to increase school security. School officials will have to review the current and coming fiscal year budgets to see if there is any savings or funds to cover the balance of the costs, roughly $240,000, Galligan said.

For the past few months, the school district has conducted an internal review of its security systems, as well as worked with South Windsor Chief of Police Matthew Reed to develop a plan. Without going into detail, school and town officials have said that some changes could include improving the internal locking mechanisms at the schools, increasing cameras on school property and expanding security systems on the exterior of the buildings.
 
On May 28, the school board is expected to discuss just how it will fund those projects. At an April 23 school board meeting, Carter said that there might be several options for funding, including:

• State LOCIP grant funding, money that is given to municipalities annually for local capital improvement projects;
• Town capital improvement fund; or
• Surplus funding from the current education budget.