Kennett officials lay out five‑year capital plan; capital reserve sits near $27 million

Kennett Consolidated School District staff presented a five‑year capital plan that relies on the district's capital reserve to fund major facility work, including a high‑school cafeteria and library renovation now in design and smaller, near‑term projects such as LED lighting retrofits and HVAC controller replacements.

At the finance committee meeting, the district finance presenter said the capital reserve balance is “just shy of about 27 million,” and stressed that the funds are distinct from the general operating budget: “The funds can be transferred from the general operating budget to the capital reserve budget but not back,” the presenter said. Staff emphasized that approval of the five‑year plan does not commit the board to immediate construction; large projects will come back to the board for bid awards or cooperative purchasing decisions.

Facilities staff outlined probable work and timing. Near‑term items listed for the 2026–27 cycle include interior LED replacements across buildings, sidewalk and paving repairs after winter, phased building‑automation controller upgrades to modernize HVAC controls, and safety‑driven door‑hardware replacements. The presenter said the cafeteria/library renovation is still in design development and estimated a rough $9 million budget for that complex; staff will seek more precise estimates from the district’s construction manager (CHA) before returning to the board with bid documents.

Board members and staff discussed stadium lighting options and fundraising. Staff shared ballpark pricing from vendors and noted that a full theatrical LED integration that includes music synchronization and advanced controls would substantially raise costs; boosters or other community fundraising could offset nonessential, ‘theatrical’ elements.

For procurement, staff flagged co‑stars (the Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing contracts) as one avenue for multi‑year building automation work that would not require the district’s typical competitive bidding. Staff also said smaller capital items—LED hallway fixtures, select rooftop unit work—would proceed once the specific capital reserve budget for those line items is approved.

The board was told the facilities plan is iterative: individual projects may be accelerated or deferred during annual reviews of the five‑year projection. Staff will present final capital budgets for formal board approval later in the spring.