Port Washington district reports summer facilities work, lead remediation and progress on HVAC

Julie Epstein, committee facilitator of the Port Washington Union Free School District budget and facilities committee, opened the Sept. 29 meeting by asking staff for summer updates on projects and inspections.

Kathy, staff member, told the committee the district finished or advanced a long list of capital and in‑house projects over the summer, including roofing work, masonry repairs in an auditorium, completion of final color coating on tennis courts, a fire alarm replacement at Sousa, phased bathroom reconstruction at Manor Haven, door replacement at Weber and a water‑main replacement at Daley. "We air conditioned 24 classrooms," Kathy said, and added work on HVAC systems in four large spaces, including the Sousa cafeteria and the commons. "We plan on closing on [the EPC financing] October 16, and work will begin shortly after that," she said in the same update about the energy performance contract.

Brian, staff member, summarized in‑house operational work that included new flooring at Shriver, Weber and Manor Haven, fencing upgrades at Guggenheim, Manor Haven, Weber and Daley, new security cameras and swipe access, and replacement of blue lockdown strobes with brighter LED panels. The district also installed eight bottle‑filler units and completed numerous inspections and routine maintenance tasks, including boiler inspections, playground certifications and gym equipment checks.

The committee heard that kitchen hood and duct cleaning, lift and stage rigging inspections and several elevator and oil‑tank repairs were completed. Brian said custodial and maintenance crews also refinished gym floors and painted about 20% of classrooms so that each room is repainted on a five‑year cycle.

On lead and water testing, Kathy described the district's third round of testing since the original law in 2016 and the legislative changes that shortened the required testing interval. "Last year, they did change the legislation ... it went to being required every 3 years," she said, and described changes in exceedance thresholds the district has been tracking. The district received some failing results tied largely to classroom bubblers that had not been in routine use; Guggenheim and Manor Haven were specifically noted. Staff removed classroom bubblers district‑wide and either remediated, replaced or removed failing outlets. In kitchens the district tested potable and non‑potable outlets and remediated two non‑potable failures. Kathy said additional bottle‑fillers were installed where practical and that infrastructure work at Guggenheim required a pump because a slab prevented a gravity drain.

Committee members pressed staff on timelines. Kathy said the first two Manor Haven bathroom sets are under construction and expected online in November, with the next two sets slated for abatement and reactivation in February or March. Brian said Weber bleacher replacement is included in this year’s capital plan and could occur during the December break or next July. On air conditioning, staff reported 24 classrooms now cooled and, when asked, said there were "81 classrooms" still without air conditioning across the district at the time of the meeting.

The committee closed the topic with reminders that many projects are staged or phased and that inspections, abatement and coordination with contractors continue into the school year.