Operations director Cleat Welch updated trustees Jan. 21 on construction at the Wayside campus and other district projects, describing weather-related delays to concrete and masonry work, delivery of steel, geothermal-well trenches, underground utilities, and progress on the competition gym and locker-room areas.

Welch said long-term drainage and detention improvements at the site should improve neighborhood flooding and that construction teams have had few noise complaints from nearby homes. He described the project as on the district's timeline but with catch-up work needed after weather interruptions.

Saginaw High renovation discussion: trustees pressed staff about funding available to renovate Saginaw High School's athletic facilities. Board members said the 2017 bond allocation for athletic renovation originally was about $10 million and that staff had identified roughly $17 million in additional funds to apply (after closing projects and capturing interest earnings). Finance staff cautioned some interest earnings may be subject to arbitrage repayment, and members discussed trade-offs between renovating existing structures in phases versus building a new two-story facility in front of the campus. Construction timeline estimates discussed: about 14 months for a new two-story green-side build, or about 14 + 12 months if a renovation is phased and includes the existing structure.

Roof and RTU procurement: the board voted to approve a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $16,420,224 for the roof and rooftop-unit package covering multiple campuses (Gillen, Eagle Mountain Elementary, Bryson and Boswell High School). Combined with a previously approved RTU package from July 2024 ($2,430,867), Welch said the total cost of the roofing and RTU work will be $18,851,091. Trustees approved the GMP.

Why it matters: the roofing/RTU work is a capital project that uses bond/capital funds and affects campus operations; the Saginaw HS funding discussion tied directly to the district's broader bond and interest picture, which the auditors also addressed earlier in the meeting.

Ending: staff said they will continue to coordinate construction sequencing, return with further cost and schedule details for Saginaw High options, and proceed with procurement and construction for the roofing/RTU packages as approved.