Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Improvement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pender schools report $4.1 million in capital work, cite 4,814 maintenance orders completed
Summary
Pender County Schools told county commissioners on April 23 that $4.1 million in county capital support helped execute prioritized roof, HVAC and playground work this year and drove completion of 4,814 work orders, though several large projects remain encumbered until summer.
Pender County Schools presented an update on the district's capital improvement plan and proactive maintenance on April 23 during a joint meeting with the county commissioners. Superintendent Dr. Breedlove said county funding increased last year from $2.9 million to just over $4 million, enabling the district to implement a five-year capital plan and prioritize deferred projects.
Dr. Joel Grimm, the district's new chief operating officer, told elected officials the district has completed 4,814 work orders so far this year and typically carries roughly 150to 200 open orders while waiting on parts for some repairs. Grimm said larger projects that disrupt instruction are scheduled for summer when students are not in school.
Bill Nelson, director of safety and construction, described several completed and ongoing projects, sharing before-and-after photos of gym roofing work at South Topsail Elementary, a new K-2 playground at Penderlea, gutter and downspout installations at Malpass Corner and paving at West Pender Middle School. He said some roofing work, including projects at BB Hall and Topsail Annandale, is slated for summer completion to avoid interrupting classes.
Technology and inventory work were also highlighted. Technology staff outlined a one-to-one device program for grades 3—2 and a replacement cycle for classroom technology; the technology item on the CIP was listed at $634,885.94. Grimm said the district's total CIP expenditures and encumbrances currently stand at $4,148,494.42.
School staff said they have adopted FMX maintenance software, issued iPads to maintenance technicians to enable in-the-field work-order completion and hired a warehouse manager to reorganize parts inventory. Staff said these operational changes helped reduce backlog and speed repairs by cutting "windshield time" between job sites.
Board members asked for clearer device and staffing counts; staff said technology support is roughly five people and estimated the one-to-one program covers about 9,000 devices. The school system said it will provide updated inventories and timelines as parts arrive and encumbered projects are closed out this summer.
