Camdenton R-III board approves capital projects focused on roofing, masonry and stadium upgrades

The Camdenton R-III School District Board of Education on May 12 approved a capital-projects package that emphasizes asset preservation across district buildings and outdoor facilities.

The approved plan centers on weatherproofing and deferred-maintenance items: a multi-layer roofing system and removal of improperly fitted rooftop air-conditioning units at the LCTC building; masonry sealing and repointing around Dogwood Elementary’s exterior walls; installing a soft-surface playground at Hawthorne Elementary (partially offset by a $25,000 activities fund pledge); press-box recladding; and planning for additional restrooms and infrastructure at Bob Shore Stadium.

District facilities presenter Gary Hall said the district will “continue our focus on asset preservation” and described the LCTC work as both a roof upgrade and an effort to eliminate rain infiltration that has traveled through ductwork after prior air-conditioning installations. Hall said some rooftop units would be removed and curbing reestablished so future roof work will perform as intended.

Hall said the Dogwood project is not a roof repair but a masonry restoration: “we will recaulk all the windows and seal all the windows” and repoint stone and mortar where water is entering through walls. He told the board the Oak Ridge masonry work done last year reduced rain-related work orders.

The board approved a Hawthorne playground upgrade to replace gravel with a soft surface; Hall said the Hawthorne parent/activities fund will contribute $25,000 toward the cost and the district intends to promote the project as student-supported.

Other items discussed and included in the approved package: - Press-box work: vendors recommended recladding the existing aluminum skin rather than repeated sandblasting and repainting; new metal skinning was presented as the longer-lasting option. - Stadium restrooms: Hall estimated a new set of restrooms could be in the “roughly $120,000 each” range depending on plumbing and tie-in needs, and said adding restrooms on the visitor side is on the multi-year radar. - Middle-school dishwasher replacement: Hall described the current kitchen machine as obsolete and presented a replacement estimate of about $73,000; the district plans to reuse existing stainless aprons where feasible. - Gym-floor maintenance, theater-seat refurbishment and other campus work: hall said routine refinishing and targeted repairs are planned to avoid far costlier full replacements. - A $12,000 tree-trimming project split across campuses.

Board members asked logistical questions about timeline, costs and the staging of work. Hall said he expects designers and bids to move forward this summer and that some elements will occur over multiple years as the district balances preservation and enhancements.

The motion “to approve the capital projects as proposed” was made and seconded; an affirmative vote carried the motion.

District staff said more detailed estimates and design renderings will be provided as specific projects move from planning into contracting.