Oversight committee hears Measure D project timeline: painting, fire‑alarm upgrades, roofing and quick‑start work

John Anderson, the district’s director of maintenance, operations and transportation, told the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee that Measure D work this year focuses on exterior painting at Pacific Grove Middle School, fire‑alarm replacement at Robert Down Elementary, exterior painting and lead‑abatement encapsulation at David Avenue School, and roofing and related work at Pacific Grove High School. Anderson said competitive bidding has improved and several projects have come in under earlier estimates.

‘‘This year we’ll be continuing with the painting at the Pacific Grove Middle School,’’ Anderson said, and he highlighted the district’s practice of encapsulating loose lead paint rather than attempting full removal. He described the Robert Down fire‑alarm replacement as a multi‑year effort that required Division of the State Architect (DSA) review and approvals.

Program managers from the district’s construction‑management team described the master bond project list and the bond‑management executive tool (BMET), which the team said will track budgets, encumbrances and expenditures by campus and project number in near real time. Cody Carpino of Brailsford & Dunlavy said the board approved the master project list in February and that about 12 projects will be released for design in 2027.

Dustin Connor reviewed the master schedule and quick‑start projects the district prioritized to start work while full design proceeded. Quick‑start work includes playground upgrades, drainage fixes, ADA paths, HVAC and safety and security items. Connor said the district has released $27,000,000 of Measure B and described a $78,000,000 total bond program as the planning frame for multi‑year modernization phases.

Committee members pressed staff about DSA review backlogs, elevator permits and electrical‑service resiliency. Staff replied that DSA review times can range from about three to seven months depending on complexity; that elevators have been inspected and much of the repair work is complete but final permits depend on state inspection capacity; and that site electrical upgrades and a middle‑school emergency generator are planned to improve resilience and server‑room continuity.

The committee discussed value engineering and schedule pressures tied to inflation; program staff said escalation contingencies are built into the master plan and that timing will be adjusted as budgets and schedules are finalized.

The presentation ended with a preview of campus‑level schedules: phased classroom modernizations in 2028–29, a track and synthetic turf replacement at the middle school spanning summer into the fall semester, and parking and building renovations planned for the adult school with staged demolition and swing space.