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Hopewell schools urge council to prioritize urgent facility work, citing HVAC, roof and bus replacement needs
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Hackney told council the district faces a $61 million capital backlog, highlighted urgent HVAC failures at Hopewell High (geothermal piping corroded, rooftop units ~$4M), a deteriorating roof at Carter G. Woodson and an aging bus fleet that needs replacement, and requested partnership ahead of budget season.
Superintendent Dr. Hackney and the school operations director told the Hopewell City Council that district facilities are in need of immediate attention and that capital investments improve student outcomes.
Dr. Hackney framed the district's five-year strategic plan around five focus areas and said that facilities are the "most urgent priority" affecting academics and safety. He told council that the district is not fully accredited across schools and that additional investment is required to support student learning and well-being. "60% of our teachers are fully licensed," he said, noting staffing and professional development pressures as a related challenge.
Berlin Gregory, the district director of operations, provided a detailed capital list showing roughly $61 million in needed improvements. He said Hopewell High's HVAC system is at a critical point: geothermal piping has corroded and rooftop-unit replacement is being priced in the millions (Gregory cited an approximate figure of $4 million for rooftop replacements and to move away from failing geothermal piping). He also described Carter G. Woodson school's roof as waterlogged, with portions already repaired using a grant while further sections remain in urgent need; partial grants could cover some pieces but a full replacement is estimated at roughly $2 million.
Gregory described 11 buses reaching end-of-life this year and other units aging in subsequent years; the district has lacked an ongoing bus replacement fund. He said earlier conversations with the finance committee and an MOU have created some capacity to carry funds over and to start project management for multi-year capital work.
Superintendent Hackney asked council to consider funding partnerships during budget season and stressed that facilities investments are a "down payment on the future." Council members and staff acknowledged the urgency and said the capital funding matter on the agenda is intended in part to address these needs.
