NORWICH – The Norwich City School District has more than $2.5 million left over from its latest capital project, but they’ll have to act fast if they want to use it.

The district’s $35 million capital improvement project came in $2.5 to $3 million under budget, which affords the district the opportunity to take care of a few more items on its building condition survey and facility evaluation.

But they will have to have the plans drawn up, approved by the New York State Education Department, and construction completed by January of 2010 if they want to spend the money.

“It’s an aggressive timeline,” said Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan, as he presented the project proposal to the Norwich Board of Education Tuesday.

To get the ball rolling, O’Sullivan asked the board to reorganize its building project sub-committee and authorize him to draw up a new contract with Thomas Associates Architects to begin designing the plans.

The project will not need to be presented to voters for approval, as there will be no need to borrow additional money, the superintendent said.

“The voters authorized $35.3 million between the capital reserves, EXCEL money and the bond,” said Deputy Superintendent Margaret Boice. According to the business administrator, the district only has two options: They can spend the excess funds on an additional small capital improvement project or “take that money and put it against debt service.”