Schools outline gym floor, playground and chiller replacements in FY26 capital plan

Superintendent Allison Borchers and school facilities staff presented the district’s capital requests and emphasized balancing recent heavy capital investment with pressing needs that cannot be deferred.

Borchers said the Gibbons Middle School gym floor is likely the original 1956 surface and cannot be sanded because the wood is too thin; she described splintering and gaps and recommended full replacement. The schools requested funds for furniture replacement (an estimated $8,000 to outfit a classroom) and prioritized flooring in high‑traffic shared spaces such as cafeterias and auditoriums to reduce trip and maintenance hazards.

The Hastings School playground was identified as a major ask: the current equipment dates from the late 1980s/early 1990s, is out of date on safety and ADA inclusivity grounds and the designers’ estimate for a full replacement (including removal and surfacing) was about $600,000. Staff said options could be phased and that some surface choices (pour‑in‑place safety surfacing) could be implemented later if budget constrained.

Mill Pond School needed a chiller replacement: the existing unit is about 22 years old and nearing the end of a typical 15–20‑year lifespan; the schools requested design funding this year with installation in the next fiscal year.

Committee members discussed cost allocation and whether certain maintenance items belong in operating budgets vs. capital. School staff said many requests stem from aging systems and the need to preserve institutional knowledge (for example, buildings and mechanical systems maintained by a long‑time technician) so work does not fall to crisis repairs. The committee asked for any available grant opportunities and for phasing plans or cost breakdowns that could reduce the FY26 free‑cash ask.