Norwich — The School Facilities Review Committee will put off any proposal for major restructuring of the city school system for at least a year, with members saying Monday that they want to take more time to study the two proposed options under consideration, economic development opportunities for school buildings to be vacated and to get more public input on the proposals.

The committee last month narrowed its choices to two options. An estimated $168 million “super campus” would house preschool through sixth grade — with the estimated city's share at $68.2 million, not including property acquisition cost. A second option would renovate four existing buildings “as new” with expansions at an estimated total cost of $175.6 million, with the city share at $57.6 million.

The committee faced a deadline of June 30 to file a request for state reimbursement for whichever project was chosen in order to seek state legislative approval for the project next spring. In that scenario, the project would have been placed on the Nov. 8 election ballot this year for referendum approval.

Committee member Angelo Yeitz said the committee does not have enough information to narrow down the choices in time to place the item on the November ballot. He said the committee especially needs to study the economic development opportunities the various school buildings could present.

“It's probably in the best interest of the city not to rush through the process and get it on the November ballot,” committee Chairman Dennis Slopak added.

Consultant Bruce Kellogg said the current $150,000 contract with the committee includes a final report to be submitted this month and support services in advance of the referendum. Slopak said the referendum support service would still be included in the future. Kellogg said the consulting partnership of LEARN, the southeastern Connecticut regional education agency, JCJ Architecture and O&G Industries could write a scope of services if the committee needs additional work.

Prior to the vote to postpone the project, Samuel Huntington School kindergarten teacher Susan Blinderman read a two-page statement to the committee from the Norwich Teachers League. The teachers' union complained that the committee has been meeting “quietly in the confines of City Hall” to discuss possible school restructuring and has not sought input from the teachers and school staffs.

“Although I am only speaking today on behalf of the members of the Norwich Teachers' League, we feel that the major stakeholders in this process have been denied a seat at the table where huge, impactful educational decisions about our city's future are being made,” she said.

The statement asked where the committee found research to support the educational value of a large, combined campus and stated that cost estimates are not yet firm.

“And lastly, where will the super school be located?” Blinderman read. “Will the impact on the surrounding infrastructure be evaluated and taxpayer input be considered before purchasing this large parcel of land?”

Slopak told several teachers in attendance Monday that he would welcome them at future meetings to provide input as the process continues and options are better defined.

c.bessett@theday.com