With co-chair Charles Burdell-Williams presiding, the Facilities Committee convened via Zoom on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Director of Facilities Timothy Holman delivered updates on a number of ongoing projects. The presentation opened with photos of the custodial training from February 18 at Cheltenham Elementary School, where head and lead custodians sharpened their floor care skills. Cedarbrook Middle School’s tinting project with MWB partner will be completed within the week. Wyncote’s cooling tower lines are being fabricated and are scheduled to be installed prior to cooling season.

At the high school, hard water was discovered due to a complaint of discolored water. The water was tested and the system was flushed. The district is looking into corrective measures which may include installing a water softener. Myers Elementary had a boiler misfire, which triggered a contractor coming to clean the boiler. Board member Zachary Epps visited Myers Library and spoke to the new shelves in the library that are welcoming for the younger children. Facilities took advantage of that space being empty to install LED lighting in the space. The committee had a discussion about the need for the district to lease/ purchase a large mower, as the present equipment has surpassed its expected lifespan of 10 years and is in need of major repairs. Lead time to acquire a new machine is greater than six months.

The district work order system SchoolDude was the final topic, and Holman shared that he and his staff went through the system and found an abundance of never-closed work orders, which led to a more accurate number of valid work orders. Community member Martin Schmid spoke to the district throwing away furniture that could be donated or sold as well the waste that he has witnessed in the district. The next Facilities Committee meeting is Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 7 p.m.