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Work groups propose solar leases, cell-tower MOUs and earlier public engagement to shore up PGCPS finances
Summary
Subcommittees at the May 26 PGCPS strategic realignment meeting floated revenue options — including solar rooftop leasing, memoranda of understanding with cellular providers, bus advertising and using CTE sites for adult learners — and urged the district to start budget outreach earlier with community sessions and a dedicated work session explaining a new Office of Organizational Development.
Three work-group readouts at the May 26 strategic realignment session presented practical revenue ideas and a call for earlier, clearer public engagement.
The revenue and sustainability subcommittee, as reported by Dr. Jamie Bowers and board members, discussed options such as solar rooftop leasing on district properties, memoranda of understanding with cellular service providers to host antenna infrastructure, leveraging career-and-technical-education facilities for adult learners and workforce programs to generate revenue, and selling advertising space on buses and other district assets. The subcommittee also discussed seeking tax credits and rebates and pursuing targeted leases of underused facilities.
The stakeholder engagement group and the fiscal/resource-alignment group urged a deeper and earlier outreach program for the next budget cycle. Members recommended public listening sessions, community meetings and targeted surveys to explain constraints — especially the distinction between one-time "wishlist" dollars and items repurposed from existing budgets — and to reduce community confusion about whether the administration had added new recurring costs.
Several board members and work group participants asked the administration to prepare a public document detailing how the new Office of Organizational Development was created, which line items were consolidated and whether any net new recurring staffing costs were introduced. The superintendent said the office largely repurposes existing functions and that staff would produce a transparent explanation and offer a dedicated work session to walk through the office’s structure and budgetary source lines.
Subcommittees said they will finalize recommendations to present to the board prior to the board’s next meeting; the work group chair asked each subgroup to identify five key recommendations to carry forward.
