RSU 60 reviews five‑year facilities plan; board discusses using fund balance for next‑year projects and upgrades to 'zen' rooms

RSU 60 administrators presented a draft five‑year capital improvement plan (CIP) at the budget workshop and explained which projects were proposed for fiscal 2027. The slide package showed roughly $7.3 million in facilities work across multiple years, with $445k–$464k proposed to come from designated reserves or fund balance next year.

Kevin (facilities staff) reviewed the list of near‑term projects; items added or re‑phased included a kitchen roof replacement at Hansen School and a $10,000 wash‑bay repair in the garage. The board discussed whether to continue using fund balance for one‑time projects and acknowledged annual debt repayments tied to a prior SRRF project would increase facilities costs in coming years.

A focused discussion followed on so‑called "zen" rooms — small padded reset/de‑escalation spaces that administrators said should meet statutory expectations when seclusion or restraint is required. Administrators cited Chapter 3 restraint/seclusion guidance and said properly built zen rooms should be about 60 square feet, free of hazardous objects, and have appropriate ventilation and padding to reduce injury risk. The board reviewed in‑house upgrade estimates (approximately $3,000 per room when work is done by district staff) and larger rebuild costs when structural modifications are required.

On the Mary Herd building, administrators confirmed district ownership but said any change in use or disposition would require multi‑year town and community processes. The board did not approve a final CIP list at the workshop; members asked for clearer prioritization and confirmation of how much of the plan will be funded by fund balance versus ongoing maintenance allocations.

Next steps: facilities staff will circulate a prioritized CIP with funding sources identified and return with an updated five‑year cash‑flow projection.