Board hears $97 million bond program updates and summer capital projects including $988,000 playground and EV bus purchase
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Summary
District staff reviewed bond-funded capital projects completed and underway across Phoenix Elementary District, described bond issuance and spending timelines, and answered board questions about prioritization, HVAC upgrades and ADA compliance.
Phoenix Elementary District staff on Thursday presented a districtwide update on bond and capital-override projects funded following voter authorization, including recently completed summer renovations, ongoing projects and the district's bond-issuance timeline.
Chief facilities presenter Mr. Whittle told the governing board the district had voter authorization to sell bonds totaling $97,000,000 from the November 2022 authorization. Whittle said bonds can be sold in portions; the district completed a final issuance in 2024 and intends to spend bond proceeds within a three-to-five-year window. He said the district aims to deploy bond proceeds promptly rather than leave funds idle.
Staff showed photographs and described work completed this summer and projects planned: asphalt upgrades; interior and exterior cafeteria audio upgrades; significant HVAC repairs and upgrades; elevator work at Whittier and a scheduled Kenilworth elevator replacement to start the day after school ends and finish by June 30, 2026; emergency demolition and reconstruction at Herrera after a flood; fencing and gate repairs at multiple sites; flooring replacements using polished concrete; server consolidation and technology licensing; LED lighting upgrades; plumbing replacement where cast-iron pipes failed; shade-structure replacement through insurance after storm damage; and a nearly $988,000 playground completed at Shaw Montessori. Whittle said the district purchased "1 EV bus, 4 yellow fleets" and is expanding transportation equipment and a live bus-tracking app for families. He also listed ongoing projects including Garfield Phase 2 renovations and site work at Edison.
Board members asked about bond timing and how projects are prioritized. Whittle and superintendent Gonzales said prioritization combines an SFD facilities audit, community input from bond planning, principals' project lists, age and condition of buildings, and cost and schedule considerations. On HVAC, Whittle explained upgrades move to higher-efficiency units (e.g., 16 SEER) where feasible; replacing older packaged HVAC with chillers would require extensive plumbing and water-line changes and is therefore more complex and costly.
Whittle described a $988,000 playground at Shaw that staff likened to the district's best and noted the Kenilworth site renovation and Garfield cafeteria rebuilding were major summer efforts. He said district teams are working to bring sites into ADA compliance as renovations require code upgrades.
No formal board action or additional bond authorization occurred at the meeting; the item was on the agenda for receipt and discussion. Board members thanked staff for the presentation and asked for continuing updates on project timelines and equitable distribution of bond-funded work.
