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Board approves RCHS 10-year health, life and safety survey with multi‑million masonry estimate
Summary
The Richland County CUSD 1 Board approved the district's 10‑year health, life and safety (HLS) survey for the high school, which lists multiple required and recommended repairs including rooftop units, rusted boiler‑room doors and a large masonry (tuckpointing) estimate; the district will seek vendor opinions and may use state HLS funds.
The Richland County CUSD 1 Board of Education voted to approve the 10‑year health, life and safety survey for Richland County High School, accepting FGM's findings and allowing the district to file the report with the state.
The survey lists three categories of items: urgent work (to be addressed within a year), required work (typically within three years) and recommended work (within five years). A large portion of recommended work is exterior masonry remediation, which FGM estimated up to $2,000,000 for tuckpointing in areas where brick appears to be degrading and where more intrusive repair could be necessary.
The survey also flagged five rooftop HVAC units on the vocational wing as urgent replacements (each estimated at roughly $45,000) after the district experienced a cracked heat exchanger and classroom relocation last year. Another notable line item is a proposed redesign of an oversized 70‑ton air handler serving the end of a branch of the building; FGM placed a possible cost for a supplemental unit at about $127,500. FGM's overall compiled estimate, including contingency and design fees, was provided to the board as $3,109,397.25.
Why it matters: approving the HLS report lets the district file the condition assessment with the Illinois system and makes state HLS funds available for work the state classifies as urgent or required. The board was told that recommended items, such as extensive tuckpointing, remain on the list so that the state and district may plan and seek multiple professional opinions, including structural engineers and tuckpoint specialists, before committing to a scope.
Board and staff discussion focused on scope and next steps rather than immediate construction. A staff member told the board that the masonry concern is concentrated on the north and east sides of the gymnasium above locker rooms, and recommended bringing in tuckpointing firms (the presentation named Illini Restoration as one contractor used previously) for second opinions before design work. The superintendent's office and facilities staff said the state will monitor the district's progress after the report is submitted.
The board approved the HLS survey by roll call; the resolution authorizes submission to the state and signals the district will pursue detailed assessments and design work as needed. Vote: unanimous approval in the roll call taken after the motion.
The district will solicit additional professional inspections for masonry and structural evaluation and will begin design work for rooftop unit replacement as funded or scheduled.
The HLS approval completes the required 10‑year documentation cycle for the high school and allows the district to proceed with planning and applying for state HLS dollars if the work meets state funding rules.
