Board approves $1M capital maintenance budget and green-lights summer high-school projects

The Waunakee Community School District board approved a $1,000,000 capital maintenance budget for 2026–27 and authorized awarding subcontractor bids for a set of high-school projects scheduled to start in June 2026.

Steve, speaking for the facilities committee, told the board the committee recommended the capital maintenance concept and a threshold requiring board approval for projects of $25,000 or more. The proposal passed after committee and board discussion on prioritization.

Jay from the district’s architectural/construction partners reviewed bid results and scope adjustments for seven scopes of work previously approved in October. Key scope changes included removing the Wanna Grow space from the South Building for now, shifting some demo work to appliance and casework updates, and adding modern math-room furniture. Jay said the revised project budget target is approximately $2.76 million and that the funding plan relies on $1.32 million from previously planned high-school work and a proposed $1.5 million deductive change order to the middle-school contract, yielding roughly $2.8 million to cover the scope.

The board voted to approve the bids and the final dollar amounts as presented so staff can proceed with subcontractor awards and material ordering for a June start, with the expectation work will be substantially complete by August so spaces are available for the start of school. Board members asked staff to prioritize work in certain English classrooms to allow teachers earlier access and to sequence the press-box work to avoid disrupting community field use.

The measures passed by voice vote.

(For transparency: funding amounts and final awards were presented in the board packet; the board instructed staff to return with any significant contract changes or cost overruns.)