Facilities committee reports progress on lighting, UVGI and solar; board hears public concerns about security funding
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Summary
At the Sept. 17 meeting the board heard a facilities committee update on completed lighting upgrades, UVGI installations, solar tie-ins and ballistic-film work tied to House Bill 49. A public commenter also urged the board to explain its school-security spending and staffing of constables.
The Red Clay Consolidated School District's Facilities Committee reported Sept. 17 that interior lighting replacements are complete at all 25 schools, exterior lighting upgrades are finished at 10 schools with vendor review underway for additional coverage, and UVGI coil-cleaning systems have been installed in 23 schools.
District staff also reported that solar panel installations are complete and tied in at six schools; the district logged about $34,000 in energy savings across five schools between July 9 and Sept. 4 while awaiting Delmarva authorization to activate the Dickinson site for additional savings. Facilities staff said they expect to put the first 10 schools in a design-and-bid cycle this winter, with renovations to follow.
On security upgrades tied to state legislation, the committee reported work related to House Bill 49, which strengthens school-safety measures that accompany capital improvements. The facilities update said 12 schools are complete with ballistic film and hardware installations and that remaining schools will follow the major capital improvement timelines; front-door placements must be done before the next phase of upgrades.
During public comment, Shannon Tiberi raised questions about school security spending and staffing: she said the Department of Education spent "over $3,920,000,000 for just 2025" and observed that Red Clay's own reported security spending for 2025 was about $1.28 million so far. Tiberi asked whether all schools are staffed with constables and urged attention to rising online extortion and safety trends affecting students. She cited industry data about extortion losses and referenced concerns about youth suicides and the age range most likely to be perpetrators of school shootings.
The board did not take new action on security staffing at the meeting; the Facilities Committee's update and the public comments provide material for further administrative review. The district said it will continue capital project schedules and work with Delmarva on solar authorization and with contractors on safety upgrades.