Facilities overview highlights district scale; board approves $1.83M in payables and routine business

District facilities staff gave trustees a wide-ranging presentation on the scope of work they manage, and the board approved routine financial and consent items including $1,834,647 in accounts payable and a motion to adjourn to closed session.

Dave, the district's facilities lead, and Justin, the new assistant facilities director, briefed the board on facilities operations. They said the district maintains 22 buildings covering about 70 square miles of district service area, approximately 300 acres of grounds and that the facilities team completed 3,508 work orders in the previous year. Staff said the facilities department includes 73 custodians and a skilled-craft group of carpenters, electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians; staff noted in-house certifications and some city licenses for trade work.

Staff discussed capital outlay planning and recent and planned budgets. The presentation noted the district's capital outlay request for the 2025-26 school year is $5,800,000, the prior year outlay was $3,800,000, and the board previously approved about $9.5 million for additions and remodels at three elementary schools. Staff said better bidding and project planning saved about $265,000 on recent projects. Facilities staff also described project-management tools in use (FMX), energy-tracking and a completed Dover Hill project.

On finance items, Miss Thompson reported accounts payable of $1,834,647, reflecting three bill cycles in the period because of the district's December schedule. A motion by Mrs. Sherrick, seconded by Mr. Robertson, to approve accounts payable passed. Earlier in the meeting the board approved the consent agenda (motion by Mr. Weaver; second by Mr. Rotter) and the meeting agenda (motion by David Weaver; second by Mr. Robertson).

At the end of the public meeting the board voted to adjourn into closed session; the motion to adjourn to closed session was made by Mr. Robertson and seconded by Mr. Schroeder and was approved.

Votes at a glance: - Approve meeting agenda: motion by David Weaver; second by Mr. Robertson; approved. - Approve consent agenda: motion by Mr. Weaver; second by Mr. Rotter; approved. - Approve accounts payable ($1,834,647): motion by Mrs. Sherrick; second by Mr. Robertson; approved. - Acknowledge CMAR scoring for three elementary additions and authorize negotiation (top-ranked firm identified as Carlson): motion by Mr. Hurd; second by Mrs. Sherrick; board authorized negotiation; final contract pending negotiation and future approval (see separate article). - Approve Wagner Portrait Group contract for district photography: motion by David Weaver; second by Miss Schroeder; approved. - Adjourn to closed session: motion by Mr. Robertson; second by Mr. Schroeder; approved.

The board also received routine financial statements showing revenue increases year over year and a reported reserve level of about 37% for the health plan; staff said local revenue was in the mid-40s percentage-wise of the district's revenue mix and that December tax receipts contributed a large portion of monthly revenue.