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Facilities update: Mills arena completion targeted, Maumelle bus pound lease and aging wastewater plants flagged
Summary
Facilities staff reported a tentative Sept. 12 completion date for the Mills High arena, discussed a 16‑month lease expiration and possible interim bus pound build at Maumelle, and warned three wastewater treatment platforms (Lawson, Landmark, Oak Grove) are aging and likely to need multi‑hundred‑thousand dollar repairs.
Director of Facilities Mike Johnson briefed the board Aug. 12 on construction progress at multiple campuses and several facility risks that could affect short‑term capital planning.
Johnson said work at Mills High School’s arena is well underway; finishes and detail work pushed a tentative completion date to Sept. 12 and the contractor reported masonry, bleacher safety rails, storefront installation and elevator trim work in process. He said polished concrete was about 65% complete and the gym court subfloor was roughly 90% complete; the contractor reported installing maple flooring and permanent bleachers behind it. Johnson noted a two‑week schedule hiccup on elevator controls that should be resolved.
College Station and Harris Elementary construction and design work were discussed: College Station design and logistics were “moving according to budget,” while Harris still lacks a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for some main‑office design elements, staff said.
Johnson told trustees the leased Northwest bus pound used for vehicle storage and fueling has a lease that expires in about 16 months. He reported the landowner had proposed selling part of the property, but the district declined an offer and is considering building an interim metal building at Maumelle (estimated earlier in the discussion as about a half‑million dollars) to relocate buses and fuel tanks if permanent construction is not yet funded. The district currently pays annual rent and would need to reestablish fueling tanks, office and restroom utilities if it moves to a new pad already prepped at Maumelle.
Johnson also warned trustees that three wastewater platforms—Lawson, Landmark and Oak Grove—were built roughly 40–45 years ago but were designed for a 20‑year lifecycle; he said replacement pricing estimates from a few years ago were roughly $400,000–$500,000 each and that current pricing may be about 40% higher, urging the board to plan for rehab or replacement.
Board members asked about site pads, staging and parking at various campuses and were told the Maumelle pad is owned and paid for by the district and ready for a building if the board authorizes construction. Trustees were briefed on logistics (fuel tanks, propane and diesel storage) and the importance of the Northwest pound for heavy maintenance and shops, with smaller maintenance work done at the South pound.
Separately, the board heard that once the Mills arena is complete the district’s legal team plans to file a motion with a federal judge and may request an on‑site tour to demonstrate completion of requirements from earlier court oversight (attorneys expect to file in September).
