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New Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance outlines staffing, $5.7M capital requests and $5M annual capital fund
Summary
The USVI Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance, in its first full budget hearing Aug. 19, asked lawmakers for roughly $4.76 million in operating funds and $5.75 million from the mandated school construction capital fund for FY2026 while outlining initial project work and remaining vendor arrears.
The Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance (BSCM) — created by Act 87‑17 and operating since Oct. 1, 2024 — briefed the Legislature’s budget committee on Aug. 19 about FY2026 resource needs and initial work completing summer repairs at public schools across the territory.
Chief Financial Officer Dr. Charmaine Myers presented the bureau’s case. She said BSCM has completed roughly $6,000,000 in projects since launch and initiated an additional $11,000,000 in work expected to finish in FY2026. The bureau asked the committee to approve an OMB‑recommended operating budget of $4,762,952.80 and requested a total of $5,747,746.52 from the School Construction and Maintenance Capital Fund for FY2026, where Act 87‑17 requires a minimum $5,000,000 annual appropriation.
Why it matters: the bureau is responsible for maintaining aging school facilities across St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix while the territory builds long‑term capital projects funded by federal disaster and other grants. Senators focused on…
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