District maintenance director outlines aging facilities, urges larger capital line

Joel Stoneton, who presented the maintenance report, reviewed a multi-year architectural study and a list of completed and outstanding projects across district facilities. He told the board that many repairs had been paid from leftover or outside funds and said continuing to defer work is costlier: "That's why, honestly, like, a $150,000 to do these things next year is peanuts to what really needs to be done," he said. Stoneton walked members through examples including door replacements, HVAC controls (an MEC system), a failing playground surface, drainage at the central office, and multiple roof sections.

Stoneton provided specific price points for larger projects, saying the heating automation at the grade school was estimated at about $260,000 and noting a separate $400,000 pneumatic/heating project tied to new compliance requirements. He recommended increasing the capital improvement line by $50,000 per year and described a 1-to-5 prioritization matrix used to rank needs. The board asked about timelines and acknowledged the difficulty of balancing immediate repairs with larger planned investments.