By Philip Devlin
(September 2, 2026) — On September 24, 2026, Regional School District 17 will hold a referendum on a proposed renovation of Haddam-Killingworth High School. The estimated cost of that renovation currently is just over $151 million dollars. Of that cost, the district’s out-of- pocket share is about $77 million dollars. Haddam will be responsible for 60% of that total (about 46.2 million dollars), and Killingworth 40%. That money will be bonded over twenty years. The district did receive a space waiver and a higher-than-normal reimbursement rate from the state, thanks to a bill proposed by our area State Representatives and State Senators and signed into law by Governor Lamont. That reimbursement rate also will, significantly, include upgrades to athletic facilities. Clearly, something needs to be done to upgrade this 52-year-old building. The question facing voters is whether this particular proposal is the way to go.
Besides potentially being responsible for more than $46 million in the current renovation proposal, there are three other local issues currently facing Haddam taxpayers that will affect decisions involving the expenditure of local funds.
1. The first has to do with the need for either a new town garage or the extensive renovation of the existing town garage at 300 Saybrook Road. In a referendum last November, voters chose 300 Saybrook Road as the site for the new town garage out of the three options presented. The total estimated cost for developing that site is $9,367,620.00. This will mean a town expenditure exceeding nine million dollars just for that garage. Undoubtedly, it will be bonded and will add to property taxes.
2. Status of former Haddam Elementary School. Rak Realty has entered into an agreement to develop the building into a Senior Center and Senior condos. However, they have run into financial problems, and basically nothing has been done to date. Meanwhile, the town still heats and maintains the building, including insurance costs, lawn mowing, snow plowing, electricity, etc. Currently, there is no end in sight.
3. Revaluation: Every five years, there is now a type of “drive-by” revaluation of our property; after ten years, there is an “I want to come into your house” type of re-valuation, which is more comprehensive. Haddam taxpayers recently got their new assessments from the “drive-by.” People are seeing a doubling of their property valuation or more; no surprise given the skyrocketing cost of real estate. Unfortunately, there is a widespread belief that because of that doubling in valuation, their taxes will double. Of course, that did not happen, but the fear that the higher valuation engendered is palpable.
Now factor in state and national affordability concerns, and you have deepened concerns about funding proposals. The cost of groceries, electricity, homeowner’s and car insurance, car repairs, etc., have all gone up substantially, not to mention out-of- pocket health insurance, regularly increasing by double digits. We are in a war with Iran, and the cost of gasoline and oil is moving up. Today, for example, oil is up about 7% and there is no reason to think that it won’t go higher in the near future.
In retrospect, the School Superintendent at the time, Howard Thiery, probably should have included other elements, such as the replacement of the failing HVAC system, in the renovation bond that Haddam and Killingworth voted on in September of 2018. That bond doesn’t get retired until 2031. It was for ten million dollars and passed comfortably. Yearly payments of $893,500 for principal and interest on that 2018 bond will continue until 2031, and some of the items paid for by that bond will actually be eliminated by this renovation proposal. HK Now has submitted questions to the Board of Education Chair to try to get more details for residents. We hope to have those answers in the next issue.
I understand the State will pay only about $74.8 million of the $151 million for the Regional School District 17 HKHS “Renovations and Improvements,” if it’s considered “almost like new.” But even with the State picking up part of the tab, $77.2 million is a serious sum for two towns the size of Haddam and Killingworth, and an ever-decreasing student population. HKHS had only 465 students in the 2025-2026 school year. $77 million split between our two small towns means the per-household tax impact will be a central issue in the referendum debate, likely more than the state-vs.-local split itself.
I’m just wondering if there’s any way this proposal can be broken down into priorities, and rather than trying to eat the whole elephant in one sitting, prioritize those items that are essential to the running of the institution. Can we start with the basics, of heat and a/c and water, and move on from there? The residents of Haddam and Killingworth are taking a financial beatdown this year, especially Haddam, where our town’s revaluation “drive by” resulted in serious increases in our property taxes. Now, this proposal for “renovations and improvements.” Sure, it will be “bonded out,” but that will still result in another tax increase burden placed upon the backs of the two towns’ residents. Has common sense left the planet? Sure, buildings age, equipment ages and needs to be replaced. But unless this proposal stops reaching for the brass ring, and returns to a common sense type of proposal, I will not and cannot support this proposal and I urge others to do the same. The tax burden being placed upon the taxpayers of our towns is unsustainable. I repeat, unsustainable. We have to do better, since our towns do NOT have any major industry, or other tax-generating venues to aid in the supporting our tax base. Each tax dollar comes from a resident and small businesses that make up our communities, and these revenue streams are about tapped out.
Rather than sinking more than nine million dollars into a new garage or garage renovations, why not consider an intermunicipal agreement with a neighboring town to either buy or share services? The garage should not be an either/or decision given the town’s fiscal challenges. Time to think regional.