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Aldermen hold public hearing to shift $1.6 million in school bond funds toward Bicentennial School roof
Summary
Nashua aldermen held a June 18 public hearing on Resolution R-26044 to reallocate up to $1,607,085 in unexpended school bond proceeds to replace the Bicentennial School roof; presenters said the roof is more than 30 years old and estimated replacement at about $1.857 million. No public testimony was offered and no final vote on the resolution was recorded.
NASHUA — The Nashua Board of Aldermen on June 18 held a public hearing on a proposal to reassign up to $1,607,085 in unexpended school bond proceeds for a roof replacement at Bicentennial School.
Alderman Dowd, chair of the Budget Review Committee, said the funds were leftover from prior school building projects and are restricted for school use. “These funds are covered under bonds with lower interest rates than we would get on new projects,” Dowd said, adding that the reallocation would not add additional debt service to the city’s FY27 or future budgets.
Mr. Smith, who presented the district’s roof assessment, said a 2024 evaluation by ARM Consultants ranked Bicentennial as the district’s most deteriorated roof. "The roof is now 30 years old," Smith said, describing seam separation, membrane delamination and recurring leaks at roof penetrations. He cited an escalated ARM Consultants estimate of $1,857,000 for a full replacement but said consultants often estimate conservatively and bids may come in lower.
The presenters outlined a two-step procurement approach: competitively hire a design firm to prepare specifications, then competitively bid construction. Mr. Smith said the bond funds would support both design and construction bidding; if bids exceed the available bond proceeds, the district could use deferred-maintenance funds to cover part of the shortfall.
Aldermen asked whether the bonded projects that produced the surplus funds were complete; Mr. Smith confirmed the other projects were finished and that some funds also came from completed security projects. On the scope of work, Dowd and Smith described phasing the roof work into roughly eight to ten sections so the city could prioritize the worst areas if resources are limited.
During questions, an alderman with roofing experience suggested modern membrane-repair techniques; Mr. Smith said the district works with a consultant and a roofing contractor for patches and typically receives 20-year warranties on new roofs. When asked about interior concerns, Smith said crews would look for mold or hidden damage as they remove ceiling tiles and access areas behind drywall.
Dowd called for public testimony in favor and opposition to Resolution R-26044; no members of the public spoke. The public hearing was closed at 7:19 p.m. No vote on the resolution itself was recorded in the transcript; the special meeting was then adjourned on a voice vote.
Next steps stated in the presentation: if the aldermen approve the reallocation at a later action, the district would hire design services and then solicit construction bids with an eye toward 2027 installation.
