Board of Education Requests $223 Million Increase in School Construction Budget

On Monday, November 17, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously approved amendments to the district’s six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) with the following two amendments:

• Explore through a feasibility study, the possibility of adding another elementary school to the Quince Orchard Cluster.
• Provide $2.5 million in additional funding for the planned life-cycle asset replacement project with the following resolution:

WHEREAS, Many school communities submitted testimony at the Board of Education’s public hearings held on November 12, and 13, 2014 related to the facility conditions that impact school programs; and

WHEREAS, The facility conditions at these schools have been deteriorating for several years; and

WHEREAS, Funding for capital projects at these schools has been delayed as a result of budget constraints; and

WHEREAS, These facility-related issues can no longer wait until the funding is approved to address the facility issues; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education approves an additional $2.5 million for the Planned Life-cycle Asset Replacement Project in the Board of Education’s Requested Fiscal Year 2016 Capital Budget and Amendments to the Fiscal Year 2015–2020 Capital Improvements Program to address various facilities issues for those schools that are waiting for funding approval of their capital project.

• The Board unanimously approved the revised attachment A for the Board of Education’s Requested FY 2016 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2015-2020 Capital Improvements Program. 

A summary of the meeting may be accessed here.