Park Ridge-Niles District 64 should budget about $4.4 million a year for building maintenance, consultants told the school board. The strategy is aimed at keeping schools in shape and avoiding another bond referendum.
McKinstry, the consulting firm the district hired to assess its facilities, presented the recommendation at the board's Oct. 15 meeting at Jefferson School in Niles, as first reported by the Journal & Topics. The meeting agenda listed the master facilities plan update as a formal presentation item.
The $4.4 million annual figure stems from a 10-year facilities assessment that pegged total repair needs at $44.1 million, according to the district's recap of the meeting. Those repairs would cover heating, air conditioning, roofing and interior updates across the district's eight schools.
The effort ties directly to a promise district officials made during the 2024 referendum. When the district held that referendum on issuing bonds, officials said they would try to forestall holding another referendum, at least for a while, by tackling maintenance issues more gradually, according to the Journal & Topics. District 64 then partnered with McKinstry as part of its strategic plan to independently assess building conditions and introduce software for long-term upkeep planning, the district said.
McKinstry's assessment was positive, the district said. Despite an average building age of 76 years, seven of the district's eight schools scored "Good" for overall facility health, and all buildings sit in the top three assessment tiers. Only 19 of 1,124 tracked assets are in critical condition.
District leaders said they will use McKinstry's software to map out projects over the next 10 to 30 years and explore funding options. Combining projects and completing urgent repairs sooner could help the district save money by avoiding inflation, the district said.
Board Member Kurt Kuempel, reporting on the Finance and Facilities Committee's Oct. 8 meeting, said transportation had improved compared to previous years. He also highlighted a recent tour of Lincoln school, saying the community would be proud of the progress there.
How the district would fund the $4.4 million annual commitment was not detailed in available public records. Whether the money would come from existing operating budgets or require other adjustments remains an open question for families and taxpayers.
The board's next regular meeting is Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. at Jefferson School, 8200 W. Greendale, Niles.
