The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee approved a series of capital improvement projects for the next five years at their final meeting of the school year on Monday night.
The projects include $147,000 to renovate the track, $50,000 for reshingling parts of the exterior of the building and $9,000 to improve the door security system. Studies for a roof evaluation, heating system efficiency check and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access expansion project were also approved.
The funding will come from the school excess and deficiency fund, which holds surplus monies at the end of each fiscal year. High school finance manager Mark Friedman said the numbers are preliminary.
“These are estimates,” he said. “We feel right now those are good numbers; the proof would be when we go out to bid on this.”
The majority of the track renovation, some $85,000, will be for resurfacing; $16,000 will go toward fixing the drainage system, $20,000 is needed for fencing and $12,500 for ADA access. Cracks in the track have made it increasingly difficult and unsafe for sporting events.
Committee member Susan Mercier said school funding is only a start.
“There’s going to have to be a committee to help and fund-raising to make this go all the way,” she said.
“This is only a Band-Aid,” agreed committee chairman Priscilla Sylvia.
Mr. Friedman said the rest of the high school facility is in generally good shape, and the shingling will be done in phases.
He said improvements to Sanderson Road, which runs alongside the high school and through a portion of the state forest, may also be considered in the future. The school is budgeting $50,000 in 2016 for crosswalks, sidewalks and repaving.
In other financial news, Mr. Friedman said the high school will end the fiscal year slightly under budget, despite deep cuts in state funding this year.
Comments
Comment policy »