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Board debates safety priorities, approves up-to-$500,000 change order for Crow's Nest Elementary construction
Summary
Staff presented a prioritized list of one-time end-of-year projects to obligate FY26 funds and recommended superintendent authority to issue contracts; the board debated prioritizing safety items (track drain, pavement) versus buses and approved a change order for Crow's Nest Elementary not to exceed $500,000.
Staff presented the board with an end-of-year funding priority list intended to obligate one-time FY26 funds by June 30, including maintenance projects, additional buses, and facility upgrades. The list is prioritized so the superintendent may, if authorized, proceed down the list and issue purchase orders by the June 30 deadline to obligate funds.
A finance/operations staff member explained that the division budgets an assumed $1,000,000 carryover into the next fiscal year and that money above that baseline may be allocated to one-time projects this year. "Each year, if we think we're gonna have any money left, and we might have a little bit, this year, and I'll explain that in just a moment," the staff presenter said, describing the need to issue contracts before the fiscal-year cutoff.
Board members questioned several priorities, asking why some items labeled "operations" (three additional 30-passenger type-A buses) ranked higher than items described as safety concerns, such as a perimeter drain replacement on a high-school practice track flagged as a tripping hazard. One member said safety items should not be deprioritized simply because they were classified under operations; staff said triage was difficult and the list is adjustable.
The board also reviewed proposals tied to Crow's Nest Elementary construction, including options to upgrade the field/track (two-lane 200-meter track in base contract, options to increase to 4 or 5 lanes and to install Bermuda grass and irrigation). Lighting was discussed as a possibility but was not included in the current estimate.
The board approved a change order for Crow's Nest Elementary construction not to exceed $500,000 to upgrade the draft work (vote by voice). Staff reported an unencumbered contingency for the construction site of about $2.1 million. Members asked for clearer documentation of what would be lost or replaced by the new elementary site and asked staff to include additional context before the final June vote.
The meeting then adjourned to a special-called session.
