While the City Council last night approved more than $520,000 for several school projects, some members said they are concerned that there isn't a better plan to upgrade technology in schools.
The council voted to transfer the money for a host of items, including installing a guardrail at Northeast Elementary School, resurfacing the Leary Field track, improvements to the Kennedy Middle School playing field and replacing classroom furniture, building a girl's locker room, new auditorium lighting and a new cosmetology facility at Waltham High School.
At a meeting of the Long Term Debt Committee earlier in the night, Councilor at large David Marcou said he wanted to see a concrete plan to replace computer equipment and other technology, saying the city was "millions of dollars behind the curve."
"We need to give our kids the best," Marcou said. "We can't be running on eight-year old systems."
Councilor at large Kathleen McMenimen challenged school officials to detail the "cost effectiveness for expenditures in technology" and show how they will dispose of or reuse aging hardware and software.
While the School Department did request $1.3 million for computer equipment in its capital improvement program for fiscal 2011, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy said she didn't fund the request, because it was a "new appropriation" instead of transfer of funds, and there was no plan presented for the upgrades.
The council also approved the School Department's request to transfer funds that will be used for a feasibility study to come up with a long-range plan for improvements at Waltham High School.
The high school was built in 1969 and School Superintendent Peter Azar said the building needs to be expanded.
Azar said performing the study would help the city make a "stronger case" to state school officials that the additional space is warranted.
While he made a motion to approve the transfer, Marcou said he would rather not see money used for studies, but instead go toward actual work.
"We all know where we want to go, just decide on something and let's do it," Marcou said.
The City Council also voted to out the accounts for 10 school capital improvement projects and move $756,000 back to the school's department general fund.
Richard Conn can be contacted at 781-398-8004 or rconn@cnc.com.
