There are no new projects or other dramatic components on the list of proposed fiscal 2023 capital expenditures in the schools.
But there are several items that will enhance the quality of life.
Julie Kirrane, finance director for the schools, and Facilities Director Taissir Alani outlined the request to the School Committee at Tuesday’s virtual meeting. The committee approved the list, setting the stage for a presentation to the Capital Expenditure Committee next week.
Furnishings, technology, and infrastructure are replaced based on expected life cycles, Kirrane said, adding that equipment is “always evaluated prior to replacement. We always look critically at what we need and when we need it.”
Among the highlights are:
- Wall-mounted cooling equipment in most Lane School classrooms. The units are called mini-splits, and are attached to outside compressors. The price tag is $175,000, and part of the rationale is the prospect of summer sessions.
- Two restrooms attached to the concessions building at Sabourin Field. Alani said the bathrooms will be connected to municipal water and sewer and cleaned by high school custodial staff. He compared them to the facilities at Depot Park, which are accessible during daylight hours.
Kirrane said the $536,900 proposed for replacement of information technology category includes 65 desktop computers with a five-year lifespan, 100 laptops good for four years apiece, 300 Chromebooks, 16 interactive boards, and 15 printers, as well as district wide servers. She noted that iPad leases are covered in the operating budget.
“We brought in so much technology last year,” Kirrane observed. “We had great federal support to do that. This year we are still using technology at higher levels. The department is deploying every device for its best and highest use.”
Also among the school requests are nine photocopiers. That item is included in the budget every other year, Kirrane said, replacing half the inventory each time.
She also detailed $65,688 in proposals for replacement of furnishings and equipment — not only tables and desks but also classroom blinds, middle school science tables, athletic gear, and the hot-service counter in the Lane School kitchen.
In answer to a point from member JoAnn Santiago, Kirrane acknowledged, “We are still in the desk-table debate at Davis. Only what we need will be purchased.
Asked by committee member Ann Guay about supply chain delays, Kirrane said “the industry thinks we are not going to get out from under that until the summer.” She noted that furniture prices have increased by about 15 percent.
Other proposals in Alani’s domain are floor scrubbers, a one-person lift, flooring replacements, inside and outside painting, and program space modification, which is usually requested in late spring. Alani said the elevator control panel at Lane School should be replaced.
Looking at the six-year capital plan, major school expenditures related to the town’s commitment to net zero emissions are on the horizon. The replacement of boilers at the high school for $4.4 million is scheduled for fiscal year 2025. A similar replacement at the middle school, projected at $4 million, is targeted for fiscal year 2027.
Lane School also will receive new boilers, and several schools will be integrating solar panels in upcoming roof replacements, Alani said.
What becomes of outdated furniture? The pieces “trickle down” to wherever they are needed, School Superintendent Philip Conrad said, sometimes landing in municipal departments. Disposal, if necessary, is governed by state procurement laws, he said.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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