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Facilities assessment flags urgent roof, HVAC, ADA and field repairs; cost choices to shape bond package
Summary
District facilities staff told the committee that roofs at multiple schools are leaking, pit-fan ventilation is outdated at several middle/high schools, ADA access and asbestos removal are pressing needs, and both high-school football fields and at least one track likely need major replacement in the next few years.
Facilities staff presented a prioritized needs list that places roofing, aging mechanical systems, ADA compliance and athletic-field work among the district's most pressing capital and maintenance issues.
"When it rains, they're all—managers have buckets on their tables," Speaker 5 said of several elementary and middle-school roofs identified as high priority. Staff described a practical approach: use the facility assessment with escalation and soft costs for initial bond planning, but recognize that adding full air conditioning or replacing all pit-fan systems would substantially increase project cost.
What staff told the committee
- Roofs and building envelope: Staff named Takina, Oak, NAMS and Timber as sites with frequent leaks and said current facility-assessment estimates may understate total needs.
- Ventilation and HVAC: Lauren (Speaker 11) explained pit-fan ventilation systems that draw air through underground tunnels and said they are difficult to control; replacing or upgrading those systems (and adding AC) would be expensive but could improve ventilation and comfort.
- ADA, windows and asbestos: Staff prioritized ADA fixes (entrances, door hardware), replacement of failing single-pane windows that have lost seals, and targeted asbestos removal in tunnels and gym areas where the material is contained but aging.
- Playfields and tracks: Staff warned two football fields and one track may become unplayable in the next 2–3 years and estimated a turf replacement cost in the range of hundreds of thousands per field; athletic upgrades scored poorly in polling but are recurring operational concerns.
Staff cautioned that closing schools would change the cost profile and committed to deliver detailed cost-per-school analyses and modeled savings at the next meeting. They also reviewed possible grant sources—seismic grants, energy-efficiency programs and asbestos technical assistance—that could reduce bond scope or target work competitively.
What the committee will do next
Members asked for a line-item cost-per-school, modeled changes if selected schools are closed, and a construction-cost briefing from a contractor; staff said those deliverables will be prepared for upcoming workshops so the committee can refine a recommended long-range plan and any future bond package.
