Brentwood facilities director recaps summer renovations, requests budget increases for playgrounds, paint disposal and roofing

Mike Cruz, director of facilities, presented the Buildings and Grounds portion of the 2025–26 budget to the Brentwood Union Free School District Board of Education on Jan. 23, reviewing a long list of completed summer renovations and outlining requested increases for specific maintenance and operations budget codes.

Cruz highlighted work finished over the past year: parking-lot renovations at district administration, ceiling and tile replacements in hallways and classrooms, window and bathroom renovations, locker-room upgrades and HVAC/unit-vent replacements in multiple buildings. He said roughly 20 high-school classrooms received ceiling, lighting and floor upgrades, and that the Ross High School cafeteria and science rooms were among spaces fully renovated.

Cruz described repairs to gym floors at Twin Pines and Pine Park after a heavy rain event earlier in the year; water intrusion from failed roof drains caused the damage. "The insurance, actually paid us for the replacement," Cruz said when asked about cost responsibility. He also said a failing roof and repeated leaks in a wrestling-room section will require removal of an RTU (roof-top unit) and roof replacement; he described prior emergency repairs intended as temporary fixes.

On budget codes, Cruz said the district has 84 Buildings & Grounds budget codes, roughly half salary/OT and half general support/equipment and supply codes. He asked for a 44% increase in the upkeep-of-grounds line (for playgrounds and playground repairs), a 7.69% increase for electrical supplies, a 71.43% increase for painting supplies (citing new disposal fees for paint), and a 10% increase for maintenance building equipment and repairs. He also requested increased funds for propane/natural gas and for roofing and caulking; Cruz said seagull damage to roofing membrane is an ongoing maintenance issue at some sites.

Cruz listed tentative summer/fall projects and 2026 priorities that include cafeteria upgrades at multiple elementary and middle schools; Sandling High School fire-alarm replacement tied to stadium lighting and alarm work at Ross High School; replacement of the Ross High School pool pack, which Cruz said is beyond life expectancy; and additional warehouse and vestibule work at several sites. He described improvements to bus-canopy installations (paused for weather), expanded annex parking with a gated opening for mini buses, and turf and playground installations at East Cape.

Board members thanked Cruz and the maintenance team for in-house work that reduced outside contracting and for efforts to coordinate with school administrators during summer work. Questions from the board probed whether insurance covered specific repairs, the status of window orders at elementary schools and whether roof replacements could be scheduled during summer to avoid disruption.

Cruz closed by reiterating the department's request for code increases and the list of upcoming projects.