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Facilities presentation flags aging pool HVAC, $640,000 replacement estimate and staffing changes
Summary
District maintenance staff told the board the facilities operations budget is roughly $720,000, seasonal workers were added to reduce costs, and the pool's main HVAC unit may cost mid‑six figures with a six‑month parts lead time — details the board asked staff to factor into capital planning.
At the June 8 meeting the Elkhorn Area School District board received an extended facilities and maintenance briefing from a district presenter (identified in the meeting as Nick).
Nick told the board the maintenance/grounds department comprises about 45 employees (full‑time, part‑time and seasonal staff). The district has experimented this year with seasonal workers (roughly April through October) to reduce benefit costs and add labor capacity; the seasonal program began around May 1 due to wet weather in April.
The presenter said the facilities operating budget is approximately $720,000. Snow‑removal and contracted salting were cited as key drivers of overages this year; the county has indicated it may start charging to load salt, which would increase local procurement costs and should be included in next year’s budget planning.
On the district’s pool operations the presenter reported annual chemical costs of roughly $10,000–$12,000 and described large repairs performed on the pool deck. He said the pool’s primary HVAC unit is reaching the end of its useful life, with a cited replacement estimate in the mid‑six figures (the presenter referenced an amount near $640,000) and a six‑month lead time to obtain parts. Board members discussed timing a replacement to avoid disrupting swim seasons and noted a one‑month shutdown for installation if planned proactively.
Nick reviewed other recent unplanned costs (two water‑heater replacements at Tibbitz Elementary and a kitchen heater totaling about $22,000) and described cost‑saving measures the department is implementing, including switching to universal paper‑roll dispensers expected to yield roughly $25,000–$30,000 in annual savings after initial purchase. The presenter also described safety upgrades (PA‑connected strobe lights in noisy shop areas and fire‑panel repairs) intended to improve alerting in loud spaces.
Board members asked staff to model capital scenarios that include potential larger capital budgets (discussion referenced an industry standard of about $1 per square foot, roughly $770,000 for the district) and to show how raising the capital allocation would affect the levy and the preliminary deficit.
