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District facilities report: Oakland Bay at 36 years and ongoing deferred-maintenance needs could require levy or bond
Summary
Maintenance staff told the board that aging buildings, increasing HVAC work orders and specific needs at Oakland Bay — a 36-year-old building — mean the district will likely need levies or bonds and possibly to earmark at least $750,000 annually for preservation work if no capital measure is taken.
Robert Herron, the district’s maintenance and facilities presenter, told the board the district is facing growing deferred-maintenance costs that routine operating funds cannot absorb.
Herron described several recent and upcoming projects: an operational ADA lift at the Shelton High School sub (to improve access between levels), a grant-funded boiler replacement at Evergreen, and window and elevator work at Oakland Bay. He also noted the district won a grant to replace a boiler at Evergreen and that the ADA lift installation will help with level access at the sub.
On Oakland Bay specifically, Herron said the building is 36 years old. "This building seems new to many of this community, but it is 36 years old," he said, and added that the state considers buildings over 30 years to be in need of full remodel or replacement for code-based rehabilitation. Herron described that some buildings — like the open-bay concrete building — are structurally sound but have aging systems requiring continued investment. He also said that without major capital investment the district could earmark a minimum of $750,000 per year to maintain systems rather than pursue a bond or replacement.
Herron walked the board through asset-preservation program (APP) scoring that will be submitted to OSPI, noting that Evergreen’s APP score dropped (from 64.26 to 62.9) while Olympic Middle School’s score rose from 70.3 to 71.5 after a roof repair. He explained APP is a state reporting and funding prioritization tool and that specific funding depends on the state’s prioritization and grant awards.
Directors asked whether APP scores trigger state intervention; Herron replied APP is primarily used for funding prioritization, and the state typically does not use it to rate districts for compliance but will weigh scores when awarding grants. Board members and staff discussed roofs, elevators, HVAC backlogs and the need to include facilities planning in future bond or levy conversations.
What’s next: Herron said the APP submission will be filed to OSPI tomorrow and the board will continue to consider future capital measures or annual earmarks to sustain the facilities.
