Maintenance director urges larger capital line as aging buildings require major repairs

Maintenance director Joel Stoneton presented a multi‑year, architect‑backed list of building needs and described work already completed with leftover budgets and outside funding. He told the board that many items identified in a prior architectural study are now high priority and that the district should plan for larger recurring capital investments.

"We're trying to increase the capital improvement line by $50,000 a year moving forward," Stoneton said, summarizing the district's recommendation for a steady increase in the capital budget. He listed specific costly items: a $260,000 heating automation project at the grade school, drainage and intercom replacements, multiple roof sections, playground fixes and work to address failing doors and HVAC systems. Stoneton also described how some repairs had been done with outside funds or leftover budgets, making it hard to sustain maintenance from year to year.

Board members asked for prioritization and timelines; Stoneton said he maintains a spreadsheet with a 1–5 priority ranking from the architectural study and can provide a more detailed 10‑year plan on request. The presentation accompanies financial planning for FY27 and will inform the superintendent's upcoming budget proposal.