School board accepts $850,000 preconstruction funding request for Walnut Hill and Westview projects

PETERSBURG — The Petersburg City School Board voted Oct. 1 to accept $850,000 in funding to support preconstruction work for Walnut Hill Elementary School and the Westview Early Childhood Education Center and to seek appropriation from the city.

District staff described the request as necessary for activities including conceptual design (PPEA phase work), schematic development, stakeholder coordination, technology implementation for project management, environmental and geotechnical studies, surveying and permitting. The staff presentation broke the request into two parts: $175,000 for PPEA conceptual and phase-2 design support and $675,000 for owner costs and site readiness (environmental/geotechnical surveys, special inspections, permitting fees and insurance). The total request presented to the board was $850,000.

Staff told the board the funding sources for the $850,000 are twofold: $75,000 derived from proposal fees collected from three firms ($25,000 each) that submitted proposals for the conceptual phase, and the remainder drawn from the district’s SCAP (school construction assistance program) grant funds. Staff said board approval would allow district leaders to request appropriation from Petersburg city council so the preconstruction work can proceed.

During the meeting the superintendent asked the board to accept the funds and to authorize the superintendent and the board chair to send a letter to city council requesting the reappropriation and authorization to spend. A motion was made (moved by a board member and seconded) and the board approved the recommendation; the superintendent confirmed staff will report expenditures to the board on a regular basis as planning proceeds.

Staff described next steps as moving to schematic design and initiating community engagement and site investigations under the FY26 project timeline. The district noted the original FY26 budget that had been approved and sent to council did not include the $850,000, which is why the additional appropriation and reappropriation request is required.

Board members voiced support for adding contract language, such as liquidated-damages clauses and contractor vetting pools, to reduce future contracting risk; the division said it intends to adopt stronger contract language and vetting processes going forward.

The motion to accept the $850,000 and pursue city-council appropriation carried at the Oct. 1 meeting.