The Burrillville Town Council voted April 23 to rescind a previously scheduled mid‑June issuance date for a $6.4 million school construction bond and agreed in concept to pursue a scaled option that prioritizes an urgent roof repair using a short‑term note while delaying larger borrowing decisions.

Town Manager Michael C. Wood, presenting budget context, said the document before the council was his submitted town budget and did not include bond proceeds: "This is the town manager's budget and approved as I've submitted it." He told the council that issuing the full $6.4 million this fiscal year would strain the operating budget and that the administration preferred a phased approach that funds the most urgent work now and delays other items into fiscal 2027.

The council’s action rescinded an earlier vote setting a June timetable for bond sale and created a consensus around “option 2,” a plan that would: (1) use a short‑term bank note to pay for the highest‑priority roof project (identified as Callahan School roof in the discussion), (2) reimburse some town cash with bond proceeds later when final numbers are known, and (3) push lower‑priority items into a subsequent fiscal year. The town manager and bond advisers warned the roof bid was delayed and that final costs were unknown; staff used a working estimate of roughly $2.0 million for the roof and set a placeholder interest/contingency figure in the draft budget (about $90,000) until actual bids are received.

Council members emphasized limiting the bond to necessary work and avoiding over‑borrowing. Several councilors said the roof should be prioritized because deterioration will produce greater damage if not addressed promptly. Councilors also discussed potential state reimbursements; the town noted two possible reimbursement scenarios described by staff (approximately 47.4% or 57.4% depending on how projects are bundled and submitted for state aid). The council and staff noted that the state reimbursement process can be slow and that final grant and reimbursement timing affects how the town should structure borrowing and repayment.

The council also asked the administration to return with more precise cost estimates once roof bids are opened; members said they expected to see itemized cost estimates for each prioritized project so the council could pick which countermeasures to fund locally if necessary.

The council’s immediate formal action was limited to rescinding the mid‑June bond schedule so that staff can revise the fiscal presentation and return with final bid numbers and a recommended financing structure. Councilors discussed but did not finalize any additional borrowing ordinance or sale at the April meeting.

Why this matters: The decision changes near‑term financing and budget planning for school capital work. It defers large borrowing until specific, current cost data are available and signals a preference to use targeted, short‑term financing for urgent repairs while preserving the option to pursue bond proceeds later when project scope and reimbursement estimates are firm.

What’s next: Staff will obtain final roof bid results and return to the council with updated cost and financing numbers; if the council proceeds with the smaller note and later bonding, it will need separate approval for the borrowing instrument and any appropriation/reimbursement plan.