Board approves West Elementary piping project, opts to use long-term capital funds

The Jefferson Board of Education approved Phase 2 of a piping and controls renovation at West Elementary and agreed to fund the work from the district’s long‑term capital account. A district staff presenter told the board the project is needed to replace aging piping and controls, add redundant pumps and update controls that date to 1999.

Board members pressed staff on timing and contractor availability; administration said equipment installation and testing will be completed well before the next school year begins and that some contractors’ summer schedules limited competitive bids. The administration recommended using the district’s long‑term capital project fund (referred to in the meeting as “1.46”) rather than the routine capital/maintenance fund, where available cash is limited.

A motion related to the project was moved and seconded and the chair called the question; the motion passed. The transcript does not record the mover/second or a roll‑call tally for that vote. The administration noted outstanding contract close‑out items from prior referendum work that affect how funds are used and that some payments may span fiscal years depending on contractor billing.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the selected contractor and timeline so the work and system commissioning are completed before school opens, with final budget tracking brought back as part of upcoming budget work sessions.