Watchung Hills district reviews construction updates, sides with town on proposed Sterling Avenue sidewalk and begins fees review for summer camps

The Watchung Hills Regional High School District’s operations committee updated the board on ongoing construction, declined district responsibility for a proposed Sterling Avenue sidewalk and began work to revise the district’s use-of-facilities policy to better reflect current costs.

Mr. Stice provided the committee update and said the proposed sidewalk along Sterling Avenue — intended to serve residents near a new development across from Woodland School — is “not our responsibility” and that the town should lead the project. He said there may be federal grant funding available and that the district informed the K–8 Warren business administrator it would not move forward with the project.

The committee reported a series of facilities updates: chillers are “95% complete” and operational with a short punch list remaining; rooftop unit replacements for the superintendent’s and business-office suites are scheduled over the summer with an anticipated completion date of Aug. 15 pending unit availability; demolition for the converted SAC office (former nurse’s office) was slated to begin June 5; the design-lab “green wall” samples have been received and a selection is forthcoming; and an updated quote and sample selection process are underway for the Deganci Memorial installation.

On equipment and maintenance, the administration recommended cooperative purchases including a Kubota utility vehicle with attachments that had been removed from the draft 2025–26 budget but is being proposed again because it enables grounds crews to reach areas inaccessible to trucks. The committee also detailed planned security improvements in two phases and maintenance agreement renewals; it noted state approval may be needed for a condensate tank replacement referenced in finance discussions.

The committee raised the district’s decade-old use-of-facilities policy for revision. Mr. Stice and board members discussed categorization of user groups and how summer camps run by Watchung Hills coaches had historically been charged lower fees as “feeder” programs. Some board members expressed concern that camps described as “for profit” were charging fees and generating revenue while benefiting from reduced district fees. Mr. Stice said staff will review comparative district rates and return to the committee with suggested fee increases and updated maintenance-cost components to reflect current labor and materials costs.

The committee finished with routine vendor-contract and transportation renewals on the agenda for upcoming board action, including custodial contract renewal tied to an index-rate increase and reduction of two school bus routes for 2025–26.