Board holds preliminary determination hearing on $11.12 million of deferred‑maintenance projects

Dr. Hammock, speaking for district administration, told the Beech Grove City Schools board on Aug. 12 that a facilities package addressing deferred maintenance across the district carries an estimated total cost of $11,120,000 and will be considered through the statutorily required public‑hearing process.

“The estimated hard and soft costs of the project are $9,835,000 with estimated cost of issuance... $1,285,000 resulting in total estimated project cost of $11,120,000,” Dr. Hammock said. He told the board the district is using an estimated assessed valuation of $687,142,964 when calculating tax‑rate impact, and that the gross impact on the debt service fund tax rate would be 0.4366 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Based on current assumptions, he said the anticipated net increase to the debt service fund tax rate is expected to be 0¢ above the current rate as existing obligations mature.

The projects described in the hearing are primarily deferred‑maintenance work intended to protect instructional spaces and ensure operational reliability. Dr. Hammock listed roof replacements at several sites to prevent water infiltration, HVAC upgrades to improve heating, cooling and air quality, plumbing and electrical updates, and interior repairs in high‑traffic student areas. He said projects were prioritized based on urgency and long‑term value following a facilities assessment and input from building leaders and maintenance staff.

Notice of the preliminary determination hearing was published as required by state law. The board opened the hearing and Miss Alford reported that no members of the public had registered to speak. After administration and board discussion the board took a motion to adopt the preliminary determination resolution.

Separately during the personnel and operations update, staff reported hiring successes and continuing challenges: the district has made multiple hires (including bus drivers and monitors) to reduce summer shortages, but the JROTC instructor hire remains pending after a months‑long Department of Defense process that began in December. Food‑service staff (Chartwells) reported rising participation under closed‑campus lunch periods, and the district said it spent about $300,000 last year on kitchen repairs and replacements and expects further equipment replacements in coming years.

Facilities staff described a middle‑school chiller failure before the first day of school; the chiller is about 16 years old and required a multi‑step repair that included reclaiming refrigerant and replacement of secondary sensors. The district purchased humidifiers and said humidity levels in the building are under 50 percent following repairs. Administrators also described plans to patch parking‑lot potholes and reseal cracks to extend pavement life, pending available funding.

Board members approved routine items later in the meeting, including hiring and supplemental personnel reports, the 2026‑27 school calendar, Neola policy updates (volume 37, number 2), engagement with NFP for liability insurance starting January 2026, minutes, claims and fundraisers. The board also conducted the initial step required under Indiana law for financing the identified projects and moved the process forward to further refinement and potential issuance of debt.