District lays out $5 million spring bond priorities; Crestwood stadium phase 2 gets $1.5 million request

Sumter School District staff presented a prioritized plan for approximately $5 million in spring 2025 bond proceeds and a separate, detailed scope for Crestwood High School stadium phase 2 during the finance committee meeting.

Spearman told the committee the district expects to receive roughly $5 million in spring 2025 bond proceeds — a lower-than-usual amount compared with prior cycles — and recommended how to allocate that sum. “Our highest need are the HVAC needs throughout this district,” she said, proposing about $1,360,000 for HVAC units and installation. She proposed $200,000 to finish a security-door project, $1,500,000 toward Crestwood athletic field phase 2, $300,000 for districtwide painting, $440,000 as a contingency/other facilities line, and a portion for IT refreshes.

Spearman said the IT department’s total identified need is roughly $2.6 million; because the spring bond is limited, the district would request transfers of about $1.2 million from existing funds and plan to address remaining IT needs in a fall 2025 bond that is expected to provide around $12.4 million.

Crestwood High School’s phase 2 scope, described by facilities staff after the bond discussion, lists prioritized stadium work confirmed with school administration and coaches: additional permanent mobile restroom units with plumbing and lift stations; fencing and stanchions; parking lot resurfacing and crush-and-run overflow parking; an asphalt strip connecting the track to the paved road; a visitor press box expansion (or reconfiguration of existing ticket booth); a ticket booth reconfiguration to create separate home and visitor sides; new LED field lighting to replace obsolete parts; architect/engineering work toward a field house (lower priority); and field-goal netting to protect bystanders and equipment.

Board member Brian Austin and others questioned the sequencing and safety priority for the field-goal netting; one committee member suggested moving the netting up the list given safety and insurance considerations. Facilities staff said the netting is a relatively low-cost item (committee comments placed it at approximately $18,500) and agreed to move that line nearer the top of the list for safety reasons.

Spearman said the district intends to present the recommended priorities and the proposed use of the spring bond proceeds to the full board for discussion and action. The committee corrected a numbering error in the priority list and agreed to recommend moving the netting line item up to an earlier priority.