Cabell County Schools presents $16 million in LSIC capital requests; board told to prioritize ahead of budget

Cabell County Schools staff presented a consolidated list of Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) capital requests and an update to the district's Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) during a March 31 special board work session, saying the schools' combined requests total more than $16 million and asking the board to prioritize projects ahead of the upcoming budget.

The presentation, led by Mr. Boggs (staff member), laid out which 2024'25 requests were completed, which were in progress and which were deferred. "The estimated cost is over $16,000,000 of requests from schools," Mr. Boggs said, urging board members to review requests school-by-school and provide prioritization guidance for next year's budget.

Why it matters: Board members were told the district cannot fund all requests at once and must weigh safety, direct student impact and long-term facility needs when making budget choices. Drew (staff member) told the board that maintaining a healthy fund balance is also critical: a two-month revenue reserve for the district's general fund translates to roughly $27.5 million based on current revenue estimates.

Key details and examples: The packet combined LSIC requests from Cabell Midland, Huntington High School and other schools. Among items discussed were auditorium lighting and sound at Cabell Midland and Huntington High (described as a temporary makeshift fix that will require a bid and could cost "several hundred thousand dollars"), a deteriorating glass greenhouse at Cabell Midland described as expensive to replace, and pending stucco and water intrusion work at Huntington High. The Woody Williams Center was listed among deferred items because the facility is not yet open, and staff said radio repeater work planned for other sites was completed for Huntington Middle and Southside but deferred at sites not yet occupied.

CEFP background and status: Staff reviewed the district's CEFP, last completed in February 2020, noting it drives SBA (School Building Authority) requests and bond projects. The presentation listed completed or in-progress CEFP projects (Davis Creek Elementary, Milton Elementary, Meadows Elementary and others) and the remaining ranked CEFP projects that have not started. Some CEFP items still carry 2020 estimates; staff cautioned those dollar figures will be higher now because of inflation and supply-cost increases since the original planning.

Costs and priorities: Mr. Boggs said some high-cost items previously estimated in 2020 (for example, major HVAC replacements) could now be substantially higher; the board was reminded these large-dollar projects cannot be completed in a single year without multi-year planning or significant financing. One recent estimate noted in the packet was a $5 million figure for an emergency access road at Huntington High; staff said that number is more recent and not a 2020 estimate.

Board direction and next steps: Staff asked board members to rank LSIC items (1'4) and said they will collect ranked lists from principals and LSICs if the board directs it. Mr. Boggs said he will email the full spreadsheet and supporting materials to board members and requested board input in time to inform Mr. Rock's budget work. Board members discussed scheduling a follow-up meeting in April or mid'May to finalize priorities and to give budget staff time to include prioritized items in the draft budget.

Meeting outcome: The meeting concluded with a voice vote to adjourn. The board did not take any formal votes on funding, financing or contract awards during the session; the presentation served to inform prioritization for the upcoming budget cycle.

Ending: Staff said they will provide updated cost information (including roof and HVAC assessments) to the board before the next budget discussion so members can make prioritized recommendations for Mr. Rock to incorporate into the proposed budget.