Burlington district: ESSER near closeout; SAVE construction advances to phase 6

The Burlington Community School District board received updates Monday that most ESSER-funded work is wrapping up, though asbestos abatement must wait until late summer, and that the district’s SAVE construction program is in phase 6 of 7 with walls being installed and sheetrocking scheduled to begin.

District staff said one key ESSER project team member recently returned from medical leave, which should accelerate the final wrap-up and closeout of remaining contracts. “We’re getting close to being able to close out the remaining contracts on ESSER again, except the asbestos abatement, which we’ll have to wait till the end of this summer,” a staff member told the board.

On SAVE, the presenter said work is progressing ahead of schedule in some areas: walls are going up and sheetrocking should begin the week after the meeting. Staff noted ongoing punch-list items, including casework for phases 3 and 4, remaining documentation for bids 13 and 14 (tennis courts and roof), and a few ceiling locations that still require finishing. The pool electrical upgrade, completed over winter break, restored swim-practice capacity for the high school and community users.

Board members asked about visible site issues, such as a vehicle track-out near the tennis courts and a sign that briefly was unlit; staff said those items had been addressed or would be this week. Trustees discussed arranging a construction tour; district staff suggested scheduling one in February or tying it to a planned March 25 ribbon-cutting for the tennis courts and library-area work.

The board approved the ESSER and SAVE monthly status reports by voice vote.