Facilities staff presented detailed cost estimates Oct. 14 for the Cambridge Springs Elementary School and outlined a planned domestic‑hot‑water replacement at Maplewood High School.

For Cambridge Springs Elementary the facilities presentation broke the work into discrete scopes with preliminary cost estimates: the main heating plant and domestic hot water replacement (item 1a) was estimated at about $828,000; HVAC controls and rooftop/classroom units (2a) were estimated at about $2,000,000; full casework replacement (3a) $700,000 (or an alternate removal scenario for $436,000); LED lighting conversion (4a) $491,000 with an estimated energy payback of roughly $208,000; ceiling removal/replacement (5a) $1,200,000; and asbestos abatement (6a) approximately $1,000,000. Facilities staff presented a combined project total “just over $6,000,000” and an estimated annual energy and operational savings of about $291,000 for a net cost of roughly $5,790,000, while noting the work could be phased.

Staff emphasized that the main operating‑risk is the aging auxiliary boiler that serves portions of the building and has required frequent resets; staff said the system could likely be limped through the current season but warned that a critical failure could require temporary heating solutions at additional cost. Board members asked about contingency options and potential short‑term rental heating costs if a failure occurred mid‑winter.

Board members debated whether to proceed immediately or to commission a second‑phase facilities utilization study before committing capital. Several members urged caution given long‑term enrollment trends and unknown future building uses, suggesting a study to evaluate consolidation options, potential reuse of the elementary building (for example, a senior center) and whether upgrades would be cost‑effective given district enrollment projections. Other members argued the heating plant is at end of life and recommended moving forward at least on boilers to avoid emergency repairs and service interruptions for students.

Separately, staff asked for board approval of a domestic hot‑water replacement at Maplewood High School (two high‑efficiency tanks for redundancy) with a project cost of about $77,000 and three supporting quotes. The Maplewood hot‑water replacement was included in the facilities consent agenda and was approved by the board during the voting portion of the meeting as part of the consent items.

Ending: Facilities staff will prepare contingency cost estimates (temporary heating options), phased project scoping and costs and will return with more detailed proposals. The board approved the facilities consent agenda (which included the Maplewood domestic hot‑water replacement); board discussion about Cambridge Springs Elementary continued with a request for additional analysis of utilization and funding options before broader capital commitments.