WINDHAM — Middle school capacity issues are driving the School Board’s $1 million Capital Improvement Plan request.

The School Board decided to request $1 million in general funds to alleviate middle school crowding. Board member Stephanie Wimmer will write up the request and submit it to the CIP Committee by the end of the week.

In their discussion, board members agreed that taxpayers want a permanent solution to the middle school capacity issues but are worried about the tax rate, based on responses to a survey recently conducted by the School Board.

“My number one concern coming out of the election next year is to have something pass that we can move forward with and not be back where we are today,” said board member Michael Joanis.

The CIP Committee gave the schools $711,000 in a fund for the facilities master plan last year but voters rejected an article asking that the funds be used for architectural and engineering drawings for a new seventh- and eighth-grade school on London Bridge Road. If passed, a bond request for the estimated $22.8 million project would have appeared on the 2013 ballot.

New school construction was discussed along with options that included a new school or addition to the existing middle school. Phasing construction of an addition was also discussed.

Whatever the decision, Joanis said the board will have to spend some money on architectural and engineering fees.

The wording of the CIP request gives the board time to further discuss its options, funding methods, and any possible ballot items.

Wimmer said it would be important to spell out the costs involved with each option and get the information out to the public as early as possible.

Chairman Bruce Anderson agreed that the public may have received too much of information late in the process last year.

“There was a big information dump at the 11th hour,” Anderson said.

Having to raise the issue again this year reinforces that an ongoing problem of too many students in too few classrooms exists, said member Jerome Rekart.

“This issue is not going away regardless of what happened in March,” Rekart said.

jhanson@newstote.com