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District previews 2026–27 budgets: transportation costs rise; large maintenance projects flagged
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Summary
Transportation, facilities and safety directors presented 2026–27 budget variances, citing contracted‑carrier increases tied to outplaced students and driver shortages, a placeholder ~$400,000 seal‑coat estimate for the high‑school gym roof, planned rooftop‑unit replacements and phased camera upgrades under a new security system.
South Fayette Township School District staff presented the transportation, facilities (custodial, maintenance and grounds) and safety/security budgets for 2026–27, detailing variances and capital needs that will shape next year’s spending decisions.
Transportation Director Brandon Suby said the budget includes a $50,000 increase in contracted carriers driven largely by more outplaced students and new private‑school placements. Suby also described a recent driver shortage that at times left the district about six drivers short and required using contracted services. He noted planned purchases of two 72‑passenger buses, two 48‑passenger buses and a 12‑passenger van will be included in the 2026–27 transportation budget and are slated to be procured through Sourcewell next week. On fuel, Suby said the district participates in the Allegheny County Fuel Consortium; he cited diesel prices around $2.60–$2.72 per gallon and said gasoline is expected to fall to about $2.45–$2.50 per gallon in coming weeks, producing an estimated saving of roughly $15,000 if that occurs.
Facilities Director Steve Timmons and maintenance manager Nathan Turekis described increases tied to rooftop‑unit parts and replacements, repairs at the middle school (including RTU‑related parts), and a significant replacement‑equipment placeholder of about $473,326. Timmons said the largest component of that figure is a rough estimate of about $400,000 to seal‑coat the high‑school gym roof (an alternative to full replacement, which he said could cost $900,000–$1,000,000 for that section). Timmons said a thermal imaging study will be done in spring to refine estimates and that the district has already replaced one rooftop unit and plans additional phased replacements (one line in the budget is approximately $205,000 pending final quotes).
Custodial supervisor Josh Wasserman noted a roughly $7,900 increase in general supplies tied to additions at the intermediate school. For grounds, Timmons requested modest increases for snow removal (+$10,000) and lawn maintenance (+$10,008.50) and said the turf‑field sweeper needs replacement (about $9,500).
Officer Mike Zemansky reviewed safety and security budget changes, including a projected $7,100 decrease in contracted security services because of greater on‑campus coverage; modest increases to replace radio batteries across an estimated 78–80 radios; phased camera replacement where several lower‑stadium coaxial cameras are no longer functional; and tech‑supply savings of about $5,654 tied to implementing a new system, Syntegix, which allowed removal of the legacy Raptor visitor‑management system.
Directors said some estimates are placeholders pending site inspections, vendor measurements and seasonal access; staff committed to return with refined numbers after further study. Several of the budget items — notably the planned bus purchases and the resolution to accept a Ready‑to‑Learn equity supplement — were previewed for action on next week’s consent agenda.
