Board receives updates on Chatham Park closeout, Coopertown additions, solar array and grant applications
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Board heard progress reports on Chatham Park closeout, Coopertown classroom additions, a planned rooftop solar array and three proposed Public School Facility Improvement Grant applications; presentation included schedule impacts from winter weather and budget details (change orders and contingency levels).
The board received a detailed facilities update on Feb. 5 covering multiple capital projects and potential grant funding.
Project managers said Chatham Park renovation is essentially closed out with punch‑list items addressed and warranties in place through August. The Chatham rooftop solar project is under contract; staff are finalizing array size after structural review and expect installation to begin after school ends in mid‑June and take three to four weeks. Administrators identified $693,000 in hard construction costs for the solar panels within the broader project budget and said consultant commissioning fees would be billed hourly up to a not‑to‑exceed amount.
Coopertown additions are in active construction. Board members who toured sites heard interior mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough‑ins are ongoing, ceiling grid and painting have begun in some areas, and window frames and rooftop units are being installed. Administrators said the district plans to relocate kindergarten and first‑grade classrooms and some special‑education classes into the additions over spring break. The board reviewed roughly $26,000 in change orders and heard contingency funds have declined from an initial $900,000 to approximately $665,000; overall billing is roughly one‑third complete at the six‑month mark.
Facilities staff also outlined three proposed Public School Facility Improvement Grant applications (safety upgrades at Manoa, a high‑school cooling‑tower replacement, and the middle‑school roof and boiler replacement). Staff noted the program is funded in the governor’s budget, awards are expected in 2026, awarded projects must be completed by 2029 and applications typically require a 25% local match; the board asked administration to verify minimum project‑size thresholds and eligibility before bringing awards for approval.
Board discussion focused on weather‑related schedule risks for brick and roofing work, the specification change from a rail to a ballast solar mounting system to reduce roof‑penetration risk, and whether the district should sell or retire solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs); staff agreed to return with scenarios and expected annual income estimates for SREC options.