Board approves revised capital improvement plan; projects include repaving, HVAC timing and perimeter fencing at Carson High

The Carson City School District Board of Trustees on May 27 approved revisions to the district's capital improvement plan (CIP) covering fiscal years 2026 through 2030, directing staff to proceed with several summer projects and to continue condition assessments on older facilities.

Facilities director Mark Johnson outlined the major changes: an increase in districtwide pavement work (additional slurry-seal and repaving projects), a Carson High School perimeter-fencing and access-control project, and contingency for plumbing and mechanical work that often emerges when older buildings are opened for renovation. "We're doing three locations for slurry seal and three locations for repaving some locations," Johnson said. Board members noted the long-running need to repave the teacher parking area at Carson Middle and praised moving that into this summer's schedule.

Nut graf: why the plan matters

The CIP sets multi-year priorities for bond and capital dollars; approving the revision reorders district work to address failing pavement, security upgrades, and deferred maintenance while recognizing that large summer projects often span fiscal years and require carryover authority.

Key projects and funding notes

- District pavement: Johnson said the district increased pavement maintenance funding to address multiple parking lots and playground areas; staff awarded contracts for summer slurry-seal and repaving work. - Carson High: a new perimeter-fencing and access-control design is underway to secure multiple exterior doors and student-vehicle access points; the board heard the plan includes alarms and cameras on exterior tower doors with those doors set for egress only. - HVAC and bleachers: work previously planned in FY25 for HVAC upgrades and gym bleacher replacement has been moved forward or rescheduled into FY26 and FY27 depending on contractor schedules and bids; the gym bleacher replacement is still estimated near $400,000 but actual bids could be higher. - Plumbing/mechanical contingency: staff added a $550,000 placeholder to cover additional plumbing and mechanical repairs found when older systems are opened, particularly in buildings with 30- to 40-year-old infrastructure. - Lompa land acquisition: the board carried forward authority for a Lompa-area land acquisition (a previously planned $150,000 allocation rolled forward with an additional $50,000 reserved for possible acquisition costs).

Pay-as-you-go and beginning balances

Windward told the board the district currently has roughly $4.5 million in pay-as-you-go capacity available in the debt service fund if needed, and a capital beginning balance of about $16.1 million. Trustees discussed the prudence of pulling funds from reserves and asked staff to provide clearer carryover notes on future CIP packages.

Board action and follow-up

Trustee Varner moved approval of the revised CIP; Trustee Roberts seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote. Staff committed to provide a more explicit carryover breakdown in future CIP reports and to present design documents and construction schedules for the Carson High perimeter work before contracts are executed.

Ending

With the plan approved, staff said they will finalize summer construction schedules and notify the bond oversight committee of any major shifts in scope or cost.