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Maintenance chief outlines summer projects: roofs, playgrounds, libraries and energy savings
Summary
Facilities staff reported completion or near-completion of roofing, playground, library and cabinetry projects, described landscaping and irrigation work, and said the district reduced summer energy and water use.
The districtmaintenance presentation to the Aberdeen School Board described summer construction and maintenance activity across district facilities, including the completion of a roof phase at Central High School, an asphalt playground at CC Lee and multiple library and cabinetry projects.
Presenter Josh Schnell (maintenance staff) said the district tracked roughly 141 active projects early in the summer and had about 151 near the end of the summer; he described a busy schedule and repeated weather-related challenges from heavy rain. "We actually ended pretty good. There was only a 151 at the end of the year," Schnell said; he credited contractors and district crews for keeping projects on track despite storms.
Schnell identified Guaranteed Roofing and Sheet Metal of Sioux Falls as the contractor on the Central High School roof second phase and reported that only metal cap work remained. The CC Lee asphalt playground required extensive drainage and drying after rain; Schnell estimated the playground surface area at roughly 100,000 to 150,000 square feet and said crews completed gravel work and planned asphalt paving pending dry weather.
Inside projects included new cabinetry and countertops in multiple buildings, renovation of fax/office areas at Central High School and Simmons Middle School, and completion of the Simmons Elementary library project after a two-year phased approach. Schnell said the Central and Simmons demolition-to-completion timeframe for two office projects was about 48 days.
Grounds work included tree plantings (about 33 quaking aspen at the Brownell Activities Complex) and regular mowing; Schnell said grounds crews mow roughly 2,500 acres districtwide and that heavy summer rain increased mowing frequency. Maintenance staff also performed annual flooring replacement, parking-lot repainting and playground repairs.
The district reported energy-management steps taken over the summer to reduce utility use: building HVAC setpoints were placed in unoccupied modes where appropriate, and lighting schedules were tightened. Schnell said the irrigation systems were tested and left in standby; the district did not run irrigation this summer and reported a target reduction of about 5 percent on water use through behavioral and scheduling changes.
Schnell estimated the district hired 15 to 20 additional seasonal workers, drawn from food service, teaching aides and college students, with the grounds crew and maintenance receiving the largest share of seasonal help. Board members thanked staff and contractors for the work and asked several follow-up questions about timelines and staffing. No formal board action was required on the presentation.
