$15 million of building work, including $9.5 million to buy land for a bus depot

What happened

The 2026-2027 budget sets out $20,304,518 of capital outlay and names the projects behind it: construction at the administration building with HVAC work and a security vestibule at $5,000,000; property and land acquisition for a proposed new bus depot at $9,500,000; interior decoration and furnishing for the high school STEM programme wing at $228,000; and the same for the Baldwin School pre-kindergarten addition at $385,000. The district is withdrawing $11,000,000 from its capital reserve toward a total project cost of $15,113,000. The bus depot search was real work during the year - in February the board reported meeting its approved real estate agent about a new location. By March the high school STEM project was 64 percent complete and the Baldwin project 26 percent, and in August the board approved construction payment application 12 of $928,462.78 with $3,950,285.25 plus retainage still to go.

Why it matters to families

Two of these projects change buildings students use: a new pre-kindergarten wing at Baldwin School, which is the district's first stated budget goal, and a STEM wing at the high school. The $9.5 million for bus depot land is the largest single line and buys no classroom space at all - it is the cost of moving where the buses live, paid out of reserves the district is drawing down at the same time as its operating balance falls.

The evidence

The 2026-2027 advertised budget's capital projects table names all four projects with their dollar amounts and records that none is a referendum item, and its statement of purpose for capital reserve withdrawals gives the $11,000,000 withdrawal against a $15,113,000 total project cost. The February 17, 2026 minutes record the business and operations committee meeting the approved real estate agent about the new bus depot location and awaiting a cost estimate for the administration building vestibule. The March 17, 2026 minutes give the 64 percent and 26 percent completion figures. The August 11, 2026 minutes carry construction payment application 12 at $928,462.78 with $3,950,285.25 plus retainage remaining.

The source