RSU 10 board flags septic failure, roof and radio equipment as urgent capital needs; asks staff for prioritized cost estimates

An emergency septic failure at Hartford Sumner Elementary, a leaking skylight at Buckfield Junior‑Senior High and aging radio communications equipment on Black Mountain emerged as the board's highest facilities priorities at RSU 10's meeting on Oct. 21.

Superintendent Deb reported that district staff discovered a sinkhole at Hartford Sumner and found the pump house tank ‘‘deteriorating’’ with ‘‘several large cracks’’; one pump was ‘‘completely burned out’’ and the other ‘‘severely clogged.’’ Deb said the tank itself is ‘‘beyond repair’’ and staff have arranged temporary pumping to keep the school operational while they solicit vendors and plan a permanent replacement. DND Excavation has performed temporary work and Vortex is scheduled to pump out sewage and sand prior to replacement, the superintendent said.

Board members described the situation as an emergency and asked for prompt, itemized cost estimates. ‘‘If it freezes tomorrow … we need to take care of this,’’ said a board member during discussion about timing and winter weather risks.

Separately, the building and grounds committee reported a $21,050 quote to repair flashing related to a skylight leak at Buckfield Junior‑Senior High. The committee described recurring water intrusion and visible ceiling damage in the school’s outer lobby area. Maintenance staff told the board that prior repairs had treated the symptom while the flashing remained the likely source.

The committee also reported a roughly $10,000 estimate to replace radio equipment that supports bus‑to‑central office communications at Black Mountain; committee members said the electronics are about 20 years old and vulnerable to weather. Board members asked staff to obtain at least one additional quote and to confirm whether specialized vendors are required.

District staff and the building and grounds committee explained that several smaller emergency repairs already completed — a $3,600 pony boiler replacement, $2,600 emergency lighting work at Hartford Sumner and a quoted $9,500 fence for a playground — either were funded from building repair lines or are still under review for source of funds. Finance staff said repair lines across the district total about $10,000 budgeted this year and have approximately $6,900 remaining; the board expressed concern that those figures are inadequate for larger, unanticipated capital repairs.

Leah, a district finance staff member, told the board the district has a voter‑authorized capital improvement reserve established in the 2023‑24 budget with roughly $150,000 (plus interest) available. The board asked staff to return at the November meeting with prioritized project estimates, contingency and insurance checks, and multiple vendor quotes where practicable.

Board members pressed for clarity on procurement rules and emergency authorization. One trustee cited policy DK, noting non‑budgeted items over $2,000 typically require board approval, and policy DJ, which requires competitive bidding or at least solicitation of three vendors for purchases over $10,000. Staff said some initial quotations were for scoping rather than final procurement and agreed to document the recommended procurement path for each planned project.

The board did not vote to expend the capital reserve at the meeting. Instead trustees directed staff to: obtain prioritized, itemized cost estimates for the septic replacement, skylight flashing and radio equipment; seek multiple quotes or RFPs where policy requires or vendors are available; check insurance coverage; and return with a recommendation and proposed warrant language for a vote.

Background and next steps: staff described temporary pumping and on‑call arrangements to maintain school operations at Hartford Sumner; the board requested Devon and finance staff attend the next meeting to present firm bids and a recommended sequence of work. The board also asked staff to confirm whether fencing to enable shared Town‑of‑Mexico playground use raises insurance or liability issues and to identify whether any of the items are eligible for FEMA or other grant reimbursements.