Board reviews $13 million major-maintenance request and updates on high-school construction

Associate Superintendent for Instructional Support Mr. Bartlett told the Campbell County School Board that the district is seeking $13,000,000 for major maintenance next fiscal year to cover projects identified through facility-condition assessments and principal walk-throughs. “So the request you have in front of you today is for 13,000,000,” Mr. Bartlett said.

Bartlett said the district spent about $9.1 million on major maintenance in fiscal 2025, had encumbrances of about $3.9 million and expects to finish the year near $11.5 million. He said last year the district received a one-time, $3 million state allocation earmarked for rekeying and access-control work, and that this cycle’s increase reflects new projects and scope changes.

The superintendent-level briefing listed several categories of work the district tracks: parking lots, flooring, painting, playground resurfacing, concrete and paving, and mechanical systems. Bartlett said the district is moving many interior and exterior lighting projects to LED and will prioritize projects that extend building life. On playground work, he said the Cottonwood resurfacing has been postponed because heavy equipment is on-site for other projects.

Bartlett also reviewed capital construction connected to the Campbell County High School project and related renovations. He said the district received roughly $7.2 million from the state for that high-school project and that the district’s supplemental portion for renovating a secondary building is estimated at about $3 million to $3.5 million. “We are looking somewhere in the neighborhood of about, between 3 and 3,500,000.0 where we are our portion,” he said.

On transportation and the new fleet/operations facility, Bartlett said the district expects an amendment that includes roughly $8 million to make the project budget whole and noted a target for substantial completion in September (the design team is working to compress that schedule). He said the district plans to expand enterprise software (fleet, inventory, routing and telematics) before moving into new facilities so staff can learn the systems in advance.

Bartlett described bidding strategy and timing: many capital projects will be bid in the year prior to construction to encourage competitive pricing, and larger projects may be held for a later cycle if initial bids exceed internal estimates. He said some projects are currently in design and that staff will return with contract approvals when recommended.

The board asked clarifying questions about which projects would be completed this summer versus next summer and whether routine maintenance work (oil changes, boilers, routine HVAC) is included; Bartlett said routine maintenance is budgeted separately from major maintenance and that the major-maintenance request covers larger capital items.

The board took no separate roll-call vote on the $13 million request during the meeting; Bartlett said staff would return with details and contract items as bids and schedules are finalized.

Ending

Bartlett said staff will bring project-level contracts and cost estimates to the board for approval as bidding and design milestones are met, and that the district will continue to balance preventive maintenance with larger capital renovation needs.