As a counterpoint to the proposal to build a new middle school, on November 11 the Board of Education heard a polar opposite approach to addressing problems in Weston school buildings.

Consultants from Colliers Project Leaders presented an analysis of what it would take and cost to keep the campus as is, but fix everything broken or worn out in the four schools and district facilities.

The bottom line: $50 million (rounded) over the next ten years as work is done.

More than $39 million of that would bring the four existing school buildings up to par by 2035. At that point, they would look like and be configured as they are today, with no modernization and little or no renovation. The other $10 million would go to district facilities.

The analysis is probably only a starting reference point as the school board begins to develop a more comprehensive capital improvement plan for the campus, which may or may not ultimately include proposals for new construction.

If construction returns to the table, it seems likely that 2026 is the earliest that application could be made to the state for construction reimbursements, given the annual June 30 deadline. It is unlikely that any of the $50 million in the ten-year just-fix-it approach would qualify for reimbursement.

Coming soon

The Board of Education’s November 18 meeting will include an update on enrollment projections, a key decision factor in the process.

Another pending factor is an analysis currently being developed by subcommittees of the Board of Finance. The analysis is intended to show the impact capital investment of various amounts — for both the school district and Town facilities — would have in years ahead on budgets, tax bills, debt, reserves, and possibly the town’s credit rating.

The full finance board report was expected in December, but based on comments by chair Michael Imber on November 14, it may not be complete until January, mainly to allow time for public comment before it is finalized.

In addition, Board of Education chair Steve Ezzes said a series of community forums will be held as plans and options develop.

Conditions

At the school board meeting on November 11, Chuck Warrington and Scott Pellman of Colliers Project Leaders discussed their findings about the condition of Weston schools, drawing on studies from as far back as 2017 and their own walkthroughs.

The consultants said they agree with previous assessments of building conditions and noted that district staff have maintained them well. They said they worked with administrators to identify problems reported in the studies but unaddressed in intervening years.

Among the four schools as a whole, issues include work needed on the exterior envelope such as facades, windows, doors, courtyards, walkways, ramps, a roof, and paving.

Inside the walls, major challenges include all manner of mechanicals and systems: boilers, hot water piping, air handlers, air conditioning, chillers, ventilation, sprinklers, oil tanks, electrical switch gear, restrooms, cabinetry, gym flooring, lockers, and renovation of one wing at Weston High School.

Costs

The Colliers consultants estimated costs in the ten-year span for each school:

• Weston Middle School: $16,648,665 (assuming a new one is not built).
• Hurlbutt Elementary: $11,067,032.
• Weston High School: $8,715,673.
• Weston Intermediate: $2,797,478.

Mr. Warrington and Mr. Pellman cautioned that the figures may be low because parts for some equipment may not be available, certain equipment may no longer be manufactured, and some may be subject to new standards that make replacement much more expensive. And, the cost of several items is unknown.

For the district

There was little discussion at the November 11 meeting about the roughly $10.5 million remaining in the total estimate. It includes $7 million for an addition to the school district central office, replacement of HVAC equipment, and removal of the aged Annex.

In the Colliers model, none of that would be done until 2030, and a lot depends on how the Town plans to relocate its own staff in the Annex and the Jarvis building.

Last week, First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor, describing sorry conditions at the Annex, speculated that the Town may need as much as $10 million (not included in the Colliers estimates) to expand Town Hall, construct a new building to house Parks and Recreation staff (so they can vacate Jarvis), and replace the system that supplies water to the schools and municipal buildings.

Also in the mix: expanding capacity of the municipal campus septic system, which currently is maxed out. Otherwise, an addition to Town Hall would not be possible.

The Colliers plan also foresees $3.5 million needed to replace the high school track and two turf fields, revamp the Zenon wastewater plant, and remove diesel, gas, and oil tanks from the bus depot.

Scoped as it was to focus only on fixing what’s broken, the analysis does not contemplate relocating the bus depot or transforming it to serve an electric bus fleet. By statute, starting in 2035 school districts may only purchase zero-emission buses. By 2040, all school buses in the state must be zero emission.

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