Westchester SD 92‑5 board approves summer construction plan, prioritizes urgent boiler repair

The Westchester SD 92‑5 Board of Education voted to approve the district's summer construction plan after extended discussion of safety, permits and cost uncertainty.

Chair (speaker 1) moved approval of the plan as presented; the motion passed by roll call. Presenter Dennis, who led the facilities overview, said three of the four proposed projects should move forward immediately and singled out one as urgent: “One of them is relating to boiler fluid piping that has dangerous gases that travel through that. I wouldn't postpone that,” he said. Board members pressed on whether other projects could be delayed if bids exceed estimates.

Board members and Dennis discussed four projects listed in the packet: a boiler fluid‑piping repair, staff‑lounge renovations, middle‑school hallway carpet replacement and a primary‑school playground fence. Dennis said the playground fence is included in the fiscal‑26 budget but cannot proceed without a village permit; he reported the village is still reviewing comparable projects before issuing the permit. He also said the carpet in the middle‑school hallway is 20–25 years old and tends to bubble when the maintenance team extracts it, creating a tripping hazard that would likely remain into the school year if not replaced.

A board member asked whether nonurgent items could be deferred given ongoing contract negotiations and other unresolved items; the board directed staff to prioritize work so that the perimeter fence at the primary (not the middle school) proceeds if permits allow, and to treat the staff lounge as the first item to be pulled back if costs rise. Dennis said the boiler project involves custom‑sealed, high‑efficiency components and is leaking now, reinforcing the need to proceed.

The board approved the summer construction plan with the stated contingencies and prioritization. Next steps: staff will proceed with bidding and, if actual bid prices exceed the board’s not‑to‑exceed amounts, the board will revisit which projects to fund.