Volume 13, Number 13
Friday, March 27, 2020
www.southingtoncitizen.com
Mobile pep rally brings cheer Panel offers options for meetings
By Michael Gagne Record-Journal staff
On Tuesday morning, a motorcade of teachers and staff from Thalberg Elementary School drove along the streets where their students live. Teachers held up signs, waved pom poms, honked horns and banged cowbells, as they drove past their students' homes. Students and their families, who had anticipated the motorcade, gathered on their lawns and waved back to their teachers. All of this was to keep the school community’s connection strong as it’s been more than a week since students and teachers occupied classrooms. Schools are closed as a precautionary measure See Thalberg, A4
By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
A finance board budget vote scheduled for Wednesday evening, March 25, was set to give town taxpayers an opportunity to take part through email and streaming video. The Board of Finance planned to vote on a budget recommendation that’ll go to the Town Council for final approval.
Staff at Thalberg Elementary School kicked off distance learning Tuesday by driving around the school’s neighborhoods to get students excited. Eric Cotton, Record-Journal
Library board backs $14M facility plan By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff
to weigh in at a referendum in November.
The library board is recommending a new library building at $14 million despite the objection of some who wanted a larger structure.
The town’s capital budget included $13.9 million for a new library, a figure that Town Council leaders said was a maximum.
The board voted 6 to 3 on Thursday, March 19, for the plan that will go to the Town Council for approval. Voters will have a chance
Initial estimates for a new library that had everything library officials wanted were nearly $20 million. Two options were under consider-
ation: renovating and adding to the existing library or building a new structure on the south portion of the property. With Thursday’s vote, the board recommended a new building that’s smaller than designs released earlier this year. Library officials wanted a new library to increase space and address
John Leary, finance board chairman, said town business needed to continue amidst the coronavirus but didn’t want people gathering for a vote. “We’re not completely open to the public because we don’t want a crowd,” he said. “At the same time we have to get this budget sorted.” Leary said he planned to be at the meeting in person with Town Manager Mark Sciota and finance director Emilia Portelinha. Other board members were to take part by phone. Residents could watch a live stream of the video at the town’s website and ask questions which were emailed in advance to the town manager to be read during the public comment portion of the meeting.
See Library, A2
See Meeting, A2
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