District keeps Columbia High School stage work in budget; $2.5M maintenance reserve not yet allocated

During the town hall, district leaders said a $2.5 million maintenance reserve remains available but not formally committed, and that several arts‑related facility projects are priorities for the coming year.

Superintendent Bing said the Columbia High School stage project — currently addressing rigging with lighting work planned for the summer — remains included in preliminary plans and is prioritized because of high usage. He estimated Columbia work at roughly $3.5 million and said middle school stage repairs would likely cost about $1.0 to $1.5 million each.

Administrators also noted a photo‑lab upgrade cost estimate of about $800,000 to $1.1 million and identified other facility needs across the district. "There’s a lot on the burners in regards to arts and the investment needed district wide," Superintendent Bing said.

Process and public input: The district said middle school stage projects were not included in the immediate budget and will be part of the long‑range facility plan, subject to prioritization and potential requests to the Board of School Estimates. The administration said it is developing a five‑year long‑range facilities plan informed by survey responses and stakeholder interviews; approximately 500 parent responses were received in a recent survey.

Next steps: The administration will prioritize items within the five‑year plan and engage community advisory committees for further discussion and decision making.