Timberlane Regional School District budget committee members reviewed the district’s proposed fiscal‑year 2027 capital improvement program, a $1,892,200 package that the committee described as prioritizing life‑safety work and deferred building repairs.

The CIP proposal highlights a roughly $500,000 project to repair and re‑insulate the high school exterior “envelope,” phased renovations for 60‑year‑old high‑school bathroom infrastructure, fire‑suppression (sprinkler) installation at Sandown North and replacements of vanities and sinks at Pollard Elementary.

The projects were discussed in detail by the district’s CIP presenter, who said the high‑school envelope work would remove existing cladding, add insulation and install a new façade. The presenter estimated the envelope scope at about 10,000 square feet and said the committee is seeking multiple vendors to develop an RFP and cost estimate.

On Sandown North, the presenter said the building currently has only a few sprinklers in the boiler room and that Fire Chief Devine told district staff he would need mutual‑aid water from surrounding towns if there were a fire. “This is a life safety issue,” the presenter said, noting the chief’s view that future construction at Sandown North would not be approved without sprinklers and that selectmen in Sandown have recently approved development that could change local fire‑safety needs.

Committee members asked about timing and prior discussion: one member noted sprinklers had been on the CIP list for years and described the current process as an attempt to prioritize the list after a gallery‑walk exercise with multiple projects. Another committee member stressed that the bathroom systems at the high school contain wiring and plumbing infrastructure more than six decades old and that the district should expect unknown conditions once renovation began.

The committee discussed how the CIP number is presented: staff said the annual CIP total includes a modest contingency buffer so projects can be prioritized without committing the entire sum. After questions and discussion, the committee voted to accept the CIP budget for review at $1,892,200; the vote on the motion was recorded as unanimous.

The CIP presenter emphasized that the FY27 list contains proposed projects sought for discussion and prioritization, and that additional projects remain on a multi‑year list for future debate.

Members asked for contractor estimates and RFP development timelines should the board advance any of the projects; staff said vendor procurement and construction schedules would follow further approvals.