PLAISTOW — Timberlane Regional School District is deciding how to spend money from a $25 million lease-purchase agreement to improve and repair the district’s seven schools.
The 20-year agreement was approved by residents in Plaistow, Atkinson, Sandown and Danville in March. The project aimed to make immediate repairs and maintenance to the district’s five elementary schools, middle and high schools, along with the Timberlane Performing Arts Center and administrative offices.
It’s a calculated decision as the school board, administration and construction committee work out which building improvement projects should take precedence and are in most critical need.
The board heard from the construction committee about projected costs for some needed repairs at its last meeting.
This year, the committee recommended repairing Atkinson Academy’s historic belfry. Two parts of this project ares estimated to cost $270,000.
Four of the elementary schools’ heating, ventilation and rooftop air conditioning system units were replaced this year with money from the lease agreement. School officials are now looking at how to update climate controls and possibly move exterior duct work inside which could save energy in the future. A boiler update is planned in the future as well.
Repairs to Timberlane Regional High School’s roof were also discussed. Officials said they hope to recover one section which extends from the building’s front to a back wing during this next phase.
Other work at the high school could include replacing 17 energy recovery ventilator units on the roof along with dehumidification, duct cleaning and upgrading controls with valve replacement.
Phase 2 improvements at the high school could total $8.5 million – or 34% of the $25 million purchase agreement.
Various high school repairs, when completed, were projected to account for 38% of the agreement.
Talks will continue at the next school board meeting with revised plans from the construction committee.
Jack Sapia, a member of both the school board and construction committee, said the committee worked with school administration to make changes to the original approach for Phase 2 and provide the most cost-effective plan.
Sapia could not release what those changes were or how they will affect individual schools during this next phase. The changes will be presented to school administrators at a future meeting.
“It’s a large project for the district,” he said, “We want to make sure priorities are set and taxpayers are getting the best value.”