BROOKINGS The Brookings School Board discussed five-year capital outlay priorities during a work session Wednesday morning. The board produced a list of high priority renovation options that would each still require future board approval.
One of the priorities as a district this year was to get a really firm handle on our capital outlay 5- year budget, Superintendent Summer Schultz said. We still have many things that need to be considered and prioritized before we can finalize a capital outlay budget, and its budget season.
New roofs at the high school and the Career and Technical Education building formerly the East Central Multi District building are a top priority.
I spent a lot of time this fall up on roofs, and the two that are the most pressing would be at the CTE building and the high school, Keith Fodness, director of facilities, said. I do have numbers on that about $1.25 million to replace those. And we can probably hold off for a couple more years, but after that it just needs to get done.
Both roofs recently required emergency repairs.
If I remember right, you spent about $30,000 on the two roofs this summer, Fodness said. The only reason that Im recommending you do them at the same time is itll be cheaper because (work crews are only) here once.
He said the high school pool needs a $175,000 upgrade.
We did take care of a couple things at the pool. We got a new chemical injector pump thats now working, which is very helpful to keep the chlorine levels right, Fodness said. Next on the list is a new pump and new UV light purifier. And then at some point the pool deck and the pool itself need re-plastering and re-tiling. Potentially you could put in a liner too.
The district is in the midst of a $4.5 million project to replace the 1965 boiler system at the high school. Fodness proposed also replacing two of the buildings original air handlers with a single, more powerful unit. He said one of those old units recently needed repairs.
Below that air handler, the building was shaking. Anyway, I was able to get the machine guys over here they put a new bearing, a new shaft in it. Its been repaired. It could last years, it could last months, Fodness said. As long as were in that building tearing everything up this spring its going to add $228,000 to your project but you could replace the air handler thats failing and replace the one right next to it thats the same age, and put it one brand new one.
Director of Business Affairs Stacey VanBeek said they could look into possibly paying for that through the same private placement loan from First Bank & Trust that the district is using to fund the boiler replacement.
Coping with emerald ash borer is also a district priority.
Its taken out trees. It will take out trees, Fodness said. You can figure $500 to take a tree out and maybe $300 to treat it, and youve got to treat it every other year every two years for maybe eight years. Its cheaper to take them out.
He said the most of the districts ash trees are at Medary and the high school. Ash trees on boulevards remain the citys responsibility.
Fodness also proposed remodeling the high school science labs as a medium priority project. The board instead requested that a $2.5 million, two-year renovation of the labs be listed as a high priority option.
If you decide and want to move forward, best case scenario is you decide and start tearing into things next spring. So schools out next spring, you do major demo, Fodness said. Youre just going to go crazy in that summer, get along as far as you can. If you do it, you could start next spring 2026. Youre going to spend that entire school year with a disruption.
The board also consented to renovation of a special ed kitchen at the middle school that would be primarily funded by a private donor.
The Middle School special ed department would basically like to build a kitchen in their area so they can teach life skills. There is a donor that will provide all the appliances, Fodness said. Washer, drier, stove, fridge, an island, dishwasher you know just a place where they can prepare food. They do it now, but its kind of like an efficiency apartment set-up.
Being donor supported, that renovation was changed by the board from a medium priority project to an upgrade that could begin immediately.
Contact Jay Roe at [email protected].
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