Full Notification

Please see below for additional explanatory text related to referendum question that will be considered this Saturday.

REFERENDUM QUESTION 

"SHALL THE TOWN OF SHERMAN APPROPRIATE AN ADDITIONAL $6,500,000 TO RENOVATE AS NEW SHERMAN SCHOOL, INCLUSIVE OF ITS CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE, AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF AN ADDITIONAL $2,500,000 OF THE TOWN'S BONDS, NOTES OR TEMPORARY NOTES TO FINANCE THE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION, OR ANY LESSER AMOUNT AS MAY BE NECESSARY AFTER DEDUCTING GRANTS TO BE RECEIVED FOR THE PROJECT?"

EXPLANATORY TEXT 

On August 23, 2025, the above question will be voted on at a referendum.  Polls are open from 12:00 (Noon) to 8:00 P.M.  Town electors will vote at Charter Hall in the Emergency Services Building, 1 Route 39 North, Sherman, Connecticut.  Persons qualified to vote in town meetings who are not electors shall also vote at Charter Hall in the Emergency Services Building, 1 Route 39 North, Sherman, Connecticut.  Absentee ballots will be available from the Town Clerk’s office from August 12, 2025 through August 22, 2025. 

Initial funding for the Sherman School’s renovation (the “Project”) was approved at a referendum in 2024.  The original referendum question authorized the Town to appropriate $42,800,000 for the Project and authorize the issuance of bonds or notes in an amount not to exceed $32,075,000 to finance that appropriation.

After finalizing designs, obtaining permits and required approvals, as well as undergoing a State review, bids for the Project were approximately $8,000,000 over the estimated budget.  Through value engineering, which identified cost savings not impacting Project scope, the Town has been able to reduce the $8,000,000 overage to $6,500,000. 

The Town will only be responsible for an additional $2,500,000 of the $6,500,000 required to complete the Project.  The remainder of the funds will come from grants from the State and funds that have been previously approved for the Project. If the voters approve additional funds at the August 23, 2025 referendum, the total appropriation for the Project will be increased to $49,640,000, and the total bonding authorization for the Project will be increased to $34,575,000.