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District flags urgent elementary fire-alarm replacement; capital list stresses LED conversion and backup power
Summary
District capital staff told the board the elementary fire-alarm system is past its useful life and could require a full replacement estimated around $150,000–$200,000; the packet also recommends a district-wide LED conversion (about 5,000 fixtures) and exploring an elementary backup generator to support fire alarms and food storage.
District facilities staff reviewed a scaled-back capital request and highlighted an urgent safety need: the elementary school’s fire-alarm system has components more than 15–20 years old and failed inspection in part, creating a risk of repeated 'fire watch' requirements if components fail.
Jason, the capital director, described the alarm panel in the boiler room as the system’s 'brain' and said some components are no longer manufactured, which makes piecemeal repair unreliable and potentially costly. "Our elementary school fire alarm really is a ticking time bomb right now," he said, explaining that a full design-and-install replacement would require state design approval and multiple months to execute. His working cost estimate for a new system was in the $150,000–$200,000 range, and he said the district plans to fund the work from reserves and to start the design process immediately.
On other capital items, Jason said the district is converting lighting to LED in stages. The LED conversion began at the high school and staff plan to repurpose existing fluorescent fixtures where possible; the district estimates roughly 5,000 fixtures districtwide and projected energy savings cited at about 47% for lighting loads after conversion. Doing the conversion in-house could reduce upfront cost (the presenter estimated about $60,000 for the initial phase at elementary/middle when completed internally).
Jason also described investigating a backup generator for the elementary to maintain fire alarms, network systems, and walk-in refrigeration during prolonged outages (public-safety power shutoffs). The district already has generator capability at middle and high schools; the elementary would require additional electrical work to be able to rely on a similar solution or to install battery-backed emergency lighting.
Next steps: district staff will proceed with design for the fire-alarm replacement, seek multiple bids once the design is complete, and return with more precise bid numbers; reserves will be used to fund the work unless the board directs otherwise.
