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Jefferson SD 14J considers ESSER III funds for HVAC work as costs exceed expectations
Summary
Superintendent reported a $1.4 million federal ESSER III award; an initial HVAC fix at the high school is estimated at about $350,000 and staff discussed using roughly $250,000 of grant funds and exploring local budgeting to cover remaining costs.
During routine financial discussion, Superintendent Brad Capener told the board that Jefferson School District 14J received an ESSER III federal grant, which he described as $1,400,000, and that the district is evaluating spending priorities tied to COVID mitigation and school safety.
Capener told the board that the high school's HVAC system requires significant work. "It's approximately $350,000" to fix the noted high-school HVAC problem, he said, and the district had been planning to allocate about $250,000 of ESSER III funds toward that project while leaving other grant needs unspent pending rule clarifications. Board members asked whether the ESSER deadline or carryover rules require spending this money by 2024 and whether the district could budget local funds across fiscal years; Capener said some grants have a 2024 deadline but carryover is sometimes possible and that the district is still clarifying rules.
Trustees discussed options, including budgeting a modest local contribution (one board member suggested $50,000 per year for two years) to cover the shortfall if the district must meet grant deadlines. Capener said the district is also using other capital receipts, including construction excise tax, and pursuing competitive grants for larger projects.
The board did not vote on specific HVAC work at the meeting but received direction to continue evaluating options, to consult the facilities plan posted on the district website and to have staff report back with more detailed estimates and funding scenarios.
