[Update: 6 p.m.] Elections 2011: Town Seeing 'Good Support' for Middle Schools

Updated 6 p.m., Nov. 8
The turnout wasn't large and included a high percentage of seniors and residents without children in the Southington school system, but that doesn't mean an $85 million proposal for schools couldn't still pass referendum.

Brian Goralski, who served as Board of Education chairman during the past term and is seeking re-election Tuesday, said he's heard support from a number of residents without children in the system.

"This is usually a 'good news' thing to be hearing," Goralski said. "I feel like we've done a good job of getting the word out and hopefully people are willing to support it. This town usually does a tremendous job of supporting their schools."

, if approved, would allow the town to move forward with the renovate-as-new plans for both and middle schools. Each of the buildings are about 50 years old and outdated, said Austin Magaro.

"The computers are 10-years-old in some cases and the schools are overcrowded. They haven't changed in 9 or 10 years since I went there," said Magaro, a University of Bridgeport intern who works at DePaolo.

At Derynoski School early Tuesday evening, five of six voters asked were willing to share their vote on the middle school referendum and all said they voted in support of the renovations.

Kristin Colby and Jillian Liebler each said they felt it was time to fix the schools, which are over capacity already, before they were unabel to handle the student population and needs.

"Simply put, they are overcrowded," Liebler said.