Nordonia Hills board reviews $788,000 in summer 2026 roof repairs as PI funding tightens

NORDONIA HILLS CITY, Nov. 24, 2025 — Board members and district staff on Monday spent the bulk of a work session reviewing plans for 2026 summer roofing projects, identifying two priority replacements that staff say should proceed as soon as funds and contractor schedules allow.

Staff recommended two tear‑off-and‑replace projects for next summer: the high school auditorium, quoted at about $380,000, and Ledgeview Section A, quoted at about $458,000, for a combined total of roughly $788,000. "13 acres of roof," the presiding member said when introducing the topic, underlining the scale of the district’s roofing inventory.

Why it matters: District staff told the board the permanent improvement (PI) fund is increasingly constrained and that the final MGM settlement payment — described in staff remarks as roughly $465,000 and expected by March — will be transferred into the fiscal year before June 30. Staff said those receipts and existing balances will determine how many additional roofs can be scheduled in 2027 and beyond; absent new revenue, staff warned, the district may need to reallocate general fund dollars to cover essential capital work.

What staff said: Facilities staff described the procurement and vetting process: thermal imaging and site visits were used to identify wet spots and prioritize work; legal notices and bid documents were posted in local media and on the district web site; a mandatory pre‑bid meeting was held; staff read sealed bids on Nov. 13. "Champion Roofing that's gonna be conducting our, if you approve it this evening, our tear offs and replacements of 2 sections," a staff presenter said, indicating a recommended contractor pending formal board action.

Timing and sequencing: Staff recommended starting Ledgeview first to avoid conflicts with the high school auditorium’s summer drama camp and rentals, saying Ledgeview crews could begin mobilization after the school year ends. The business manager indicated a likely contractor start window around early June and urged early bidding (October–November) to secure experienced contractors and avoid higher rates later in the season.

Materials and warranties: Board members and staff discussed construction method and product selection. Staff said the district prefers hot‑applied triple‑ply asphalt systems with 30‑year prorated warranties and favors full tear‑offs over short‑term restorations: "We do a tear off and then rebuild," a facilities speaker said, adding that restorations typically only delay future failures.

Funding context: The business manager presented PI fund figures and the longer five‑year forecast. Staff said the district has invested heavily in roofing over recent years — a figure quoted in the meeting placed recent spending at roughly $9 million — and that the district is attempting to sequence projects to make the most of available PI receipts. Board members were told the PI fund’s unencumbered balance and the pending MGM settlement payment leave limited room for additional large projects in 2027 without drawing on general fund resources.

Operational implications: Staff warned that delaying essential roof work increases the risk of interior damage and operational disruption; contingency options discussed included relocating classes to other district spaces or community facilities if work runs into the school year. The meeting also included related facilities items — boiler inventories, grounds truck repairs and other capital‑equipment needs — which staff said will compete for limited capital dollars.

Next steps: Staff will circulate thermal imaging and a more detailed five‑year capital forecast to the board; the board will formally consider any contract award at the regular meeting or at a later vote once the award language is placed on an agenda. If approved, staff said Champion Roofing (the bidder identified in the discussion) would mobilize after school ends and start the Ledgeview work first to avoid summertime events in the auditorium.

(Reporting based on public remarks at the Nov. 24, 2025 Nordonia Hills City School District board work session.)