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New Bureau of School Construction reports Arthur A. Richards progress, gym and kitchen projects; committee presses for faster repairs
Summary
The newly formed Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance told senators it has more than 60% of Arthur A. Richards rebuild completed and listed timelines for gym, kitchen and court projects, but committee members pressed for faster repairs and clearer procurement and inspection practices.
The Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance (BSCM) briefed the Committee on Education and Workforce Development on Feb. 4 on active construction and maintenance work across the territory, including progress on the Arthur A. Richards rebuild, a renovation of the Claro Marco gymnasium, school kitchen installations and a summer maintenance schedule.
Executive Director Craig Benjamin said the Arthur A. Richards campus on St. Croix is “progressing as planned with over 60% of the work already completed,” and he gave a vetted schedule that targets a July 31, 2026 school delivery and a certificate of occupancy 60 days earlier. Benjamin identified the prime contractor and multiple subcontractors on the project and said many structural milestones — footings, vertical walls, structural steel trusses, and window frames — are already in place.
BSCM said the Claro Marco gym renovation is in demolition and electrical upgrade phases; work stalled earlier for procurement paperwork but the bureau expects the gym to be complete in May 2025. Kitchen renovation work is underway at Claro Marco (40% of supplemental scope), and five other schools in St. Croix had walk‑in refrigerators and freezers installed; the bureau said final payments are awaiting periodical estimates from contractors.
Senators pressed the bureau on recurring maintenance problems: mold testing and remediation at John Woodson School and others; electrical upgrades needed before AC units can be brought online on several campuses; stolen kitchen equipment at Eulalia Rivera (raised by VIDE earlier in the hearing); and surface, lighting and structural problems at athletic courts and bleachers. BSCM directors said quarterly deep cleaning, semiannual mold testing and annual ventilation checks will be adopted, and that portable ACs and targeted electrical work would be used as interim measures while permanent upgrades proceed.
Contracting, timelines and payment: Witnesses told the committee that many ARP‑funded projects already have contracts and that some contractors have requested extensions because of supply‑chain and mobilization delays. BSCM said an extension of federal liquidation deadlines has helped; the bureau also acknowledged vendor payment delays in the state financial system and said it is coordinating with the Department of Finance to speed checks.
Committee concerns: Senators repeatedly pressed the bureau to clarify inspection and sign‑off procedures, to provide project‑level cash flows, and to establish clearer on‑site accountability for maintenance staff. Several committee members asked for an immediate list of emergency maintenance work orders and a timetable to complete high‑priority fixes (doors, classroom flooring, electrical problems and safety hazards at modular classrooms), and requested copies of contract change orders and certifications for completed work.
What’s next: BSCM said it will provide the committee with project‑level schedules, a list of contracts and change orders, and a plan for AC and electrical upgrades to meet summer heat. Benjamin said the bureau expects to complete some summer maintenance RFPs in time for work to begin before the next school year.
