Facilities committee outlines summer 2025 capital maintenance priorities, pauses select projects pending budget review

The Waunakee Community School District Facilities Committee on Thursday reviewed a district-wide list of capital maintenance projects for summer 2025 and approved a motion to pause a subset of projects pending additional information from the budget committee.

District administrators summarized the financing picture: staff reconciled remaining referendum balances, reported investment earnings above prior estimates, and identified project savings set aside for the high school. Administration said they had updated interest earnings figures and confirmed roughly $300,000 more in investment returns than previously estimated; staff also identified roughly $3.5 million in project savings related to previously delayed high school work (figures discussed at the meeting were estimates and staff said final reconciled numbers would appear in board materials).

The committee reviewed a prioritized list of proposed summer projects grouped by school. Items flagged in red were identified as safety priorities, and examples included security camera and door-reader upgrades, roofing repairs and targeted HVAC work. Specific project discussions included:

- Prairie Elementary cafeteria tables: A previously approved project for new pocket tables was paused after a vendor notified the district that the original quote omitted parts. That omission increased the projected cost by about $29,000 for that school’s order; administrators said they had looked at alternate table configurations (freestanding or round tables) and would gather additional quotes and options if the board desires. Committee members expressed concern that further delay could push installation out of the summer window and jeopardize readiness for next school year.

- Transportation technology and bus cameras: The budget committee is evaluating several transportation technology options, including bus-mounted panoramic cameras and a parent-facing bus app to show estimated arrival and drop-off. Administrators and some board members argued the tools could improve safety, aid discipline investigations and give parents better visibility; the item remains under budget committee review and may move to the full board depending on that committee’s recommendation.

- District branding and vehicle wrap: Staff described a package of final branding items across district sites and a possible donated vehicle wrap (donation ~ $10,000) for a new van. Some trustees recommended delaying branding work that affects high school spaces until the larger high-school project scope is resolved; staff said the donated vehicle wrap could be applied to a new van and a decade-old van repurposed to the high school’s alternative education (Alt Ed) program if the board moved forward.

During the meeting, a motion was made to pause transportation software/technology items, to obtain more information on the Prairie cafeteria table options (and related quotes) and to pause district branding items that would affect the high school until the high-school scope is resolved. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. A proposed amendment to keep the Prairie tables and camera items in the motion failed for lack of a second; board members noted the Prairie tables are already late in the vendor schedule and additional delay could push installation past the summer window.

Administrators said they will provide updated cost reconciliations, alternative quotes for the Prairie cafeteria tables, and budget-committee recommendations on the transportation items ahead of the full board meeting. The Facilities Committee emphasized it was not cancelling projects across the board, but seeking to prioritize safety work while allowing the budget committee and the full board to weigh larger investments.