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Brea Olinda trustees review districtwide summer facilities work, ask staff for April cost and timeline estimates
Summary
District staff outlined summer and upcoming facility projects — restroom renovations, playground replacements, kitchen air conditioning, and high-school modernization — and trustees directed staff to return April 23 with cost estimates and timelines for formal approval.
District staff on March 19 walked trustees through a multi-site facilities plan that would fund a mix of deferred maintenance and modernization projects across the Brea Olinda Unified School District.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Richard Kempian and Administrative Director for Facilities, Operations, Transportation and Construction Jeff Ferrado told the board that the district relies on a mix of limited funding streams — the general fund, developer fees (Fund 25), a capital reserve (Fund 40), bond funds (Fund 21) and carryover RDA proceeds — to prioritize safety, code compliance and longevity of aging buildings.
Kempian said staff used site assessments (2018 and 2025) and Williams/FIT reports to identify needs. He described planned work ranging from Era Vista playground fencing and Kinder-area reconfiguration to retention-wall waterproofing at Mariposa, playground membrane replacements at Country Hills and ADA/path-of-travel work and athletic updates at Brea Olinda High School. “We always try to balance those repairs against what we have on hand,” Kempian said.
Ferrado, who led a photo tour of elementary restrooms, highlighted recurring issues — cracked tile, aging fixtures, missing partitions at urinals and plumbing fixtures that do not meet current height code for age groups. He explained that many restroom fixes will be designed to remain under DSA (Division of State Architect) exemption where access isn't altered, but that some portables at Falcon will require DSA closeouts.
On a narrower set of projects, staff asked for board direction to return in April with detailed budgets and schedules. Specifically:
- Elementary restroom upgrades: staff will return April 23 with site-by-site cost estimates and an overall timeline; Ferrado said the work could be structured as an eight-week summer program at each site where feasible.
- Kitchen air conditioning: Kempian presented preliminary estimates of roughly $30,002.50 for each of two elementary kitchen installations (Mariposa and Country Hills), to be funded from Fund 40; trustees agreed to have the item returned in April for approval.
- Playground replacements: a Kinder playground at (transcribed as Aira/Era Vista) will be fenced March 30 and equipment is on drop ship; staff said they will route contractor access away from student activity areas.
- High-school projects: architects will advance bid-ready plans for gym-floor replacement, new signage and athletics upgrades; Kempian said combining related projects reduced overall architectural fees by about $400,000.
The board did not vote on project approvals at the March 19 meeting; trustees provided direction for staff to return with budgets, funding source identification and timelines. Several trustees emphasized the need to preview future projects in a facilities-update setting before placing items on a formal action agenda so the public can see the sequencing and funding implications.
The board’s next regular meeting is set for April 23, when staff expects to present the requested cost and timeline details for several of the projects discussed.
