Consultant tells Atlantic Comm School District to prioritize high school roof, security and HVAC planning

At a work session, the Atlantic Comm School District board reviewed a master plan with consultant Chad Aly of ICAT, who identified the high school roof as the district’s most urgent capital need and urged the board to begin design and budgeting work.

Aly said some items on the district’s master plan are maintenance that can be done quickly, while others — notably the high school roof and significant mechanical replacements — require architectural design and phasing before bidding. He estimated that some roof systems can last as long as 50 years but judged the district’s high school roof to be closer to about 30 years of effective life remaining and said that replacing an aging roof could trigger ADA and fire-suppression requirements depending on the scope of work and the local fire marshal’s interpretation.

The consultant recommended the district engage an architect to move from high-level planning to more detailed cost estimates and design options, suggesting an RFQ process that targets roughly six firms to secure a few strong proposals. He gave an approximate range for a master-plan contract in the low tens of thousands of dollars and said the board could terminate a contract with seven days’ notice if it was not a good fit.

Board members and the consultant discussed options for Washington Elementary, which several participants described as a 'tired' building operating near capacity. The conversation covered whether to invest in a remodel or addition, or consider grade reconfiguration (moving a grade to the middle school or other campus) to relieve overcrowding. Aly noted that when remodel costs approach roughly 50–60 percent of replacement costs, consolidation or new construction can become the more pragmatic option.

The session also addressed lifecycle planning for HVAC units, with Aly noting many rooftop units are commonly replaced on ~20-year cycles and suggesting the district examine opportunities under recent federal incentives to support energy projects (the consultant referred to these as Inflation Act grants). He said geothermal or other energy investments could be attractive if grant funding is available and referenced an outside group assisting with grant work.

Security upgrades were flagged as a top priority: Aly warned that forthcoming guidance will push school districts to address building security before some other capital uses, and he recommended early security-focused design work for entries at all four buildings. He also advised that sales-tax-restricted local revenue may limit spending on athletic complexes until security requirements are accounted for.

On near-term action, board members and the consultant discussed contacting a local firm (Snider) to produce design documents and bids for the roof as a potential summer project. Participants noted the district has savings earmarked for capital needs but would need to set aside roughly $2 million in the coming budget cycle to fully fund a major roof replacement on the high school; the board discussed scheduling that allocation during the March budget process.

The consultant recommended compiling a maintenance 'punch list' for lower-cost items (toilets, drinking fountains, localized repairs) that could be cleared through summer capital work while the district moves toward larger design choices. He offered to circulate sample RFQs and follow up with contacts to help the board select architects and pursue grant opportunities.

The board agreed to follow up on architect selection, short-term roof work and further evaluation of capacity and code triggers. The meeting moved on to other items and then into a closed session for a superintendent informal evaluation.