The Board of Education will hear from the public and vote on Superintendent George Arlotto’s proposed $193 million Capital Budget request for fiscal year 2023 during its meeting Wednesday evening.

The $193 million request is about 17% smaller than Arlotto’s fiscal year 2022 request, which was for $234 million. Of the $193 million budget request, Arlotto is seeking $84 million from the county, and the remainder in funding through the state. In fiscal 2022, he sought $187 million from the county, and $196 million was approved.

Chief Operating Officer Alex Szachnowicz said the Built to Learn Act has provided an additional source of state funding from the Maryland Stadium Authority. That extra source of funding, in addition the state Interagency Commission on School Construction, has supplemented the amount Anne Arundel County would typically cover.

As part of his request, Arlotto is requesting $67 million from the stadium authority and $42.5 million through the Interagency Commission. “It creates a one-time enhanced funding opportunity for public schools,” Szachnowicz said.

The budget includes funding to continue the multi-step process to divide, build and rebuild schools in the Old Mill cluster. The request seeks $44 million to build a new high school, Old Mill West, on the former Papa John’s farm property, $40 million for Old Mill Middle School South and $5.3 million to design a new CAT North.

The superintendent is seeking $5.9 million for a replacement Rippling Woods Elementary, $5.7 million for a replacement Hillsmere Elementary School and $5 million for a replacement Quarterfield Elementary School.

The superintendent is seeking another $10 million for additions to schools, $7 million to reduce the system-wide maintenance backlog, $3 million for security related upgrades and $1.2 million for health and safety improvements.

The budget request includes an ask of $30 million to renovate building systems, such as mechanics, air, plumbing, electric and fire safety.

The $10 million request for additions will cover four additional classrooms at Southgate Elementary School and four classrooms and a cafe addition at Crofton Middle School.

The Board of Education meeting will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Parham building along Riva Road. The meeting is open to the public, after the Sept. 1 meeting was closed to in-person atten

dance by the board, which cited tension at the last meeting where masking was discussed.

After approval by the board, the proposal is submitted to the State of Maryland for funding consideration and will part of the school system’s overall fiscal year 2023 budget request, which is forwarded to the county executive in February after the public hearings are held. The County Council will review the plan and adopt a final capital budget for the school system by June 2022.