District budgets for facilities upgrades and new bus‑routing software; Jack Memorial HVAC and LED project cited
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Summary
RSU 06 budget includes a multi‑year EEI energy upgrade (lighting and infrastructure) with an annual payment of about $210,000, replacement of failing HVAC at the Jack Memorial Building, and a $65,000 one‑time cost for bus‑routing software that will provide a parent app; the district also noted a vacant mechanic position it could not fill.
RSU 06 officials presented facilities and transportation items included in the 2025–26 budget: an energy‑efficiency investment (EEI) project, HVAC work at the Jack Memorial Building, and a bus‑routing software purchase that includes a parent app.
Superintendent Clay Gleason described the EEI project as a long‑term investment to reduce electric bills by installing LED lighting and other efficiency measures. He said the district’s payment for the EEI project is “almost like a lease payment of $210,000” and that the whole project is “about over $2,000,000… over 20 years.” Gleason said lighting is only part of the project and stressed potential energy savings across all district buildings.
Gleason also said the Jack Memorial Building houses core technology infrastructure and that its HVAC and boiler system are aging: “the boiler's 40 years old… the HVAC is failing, so we need to replace it.” He said the cost of a failure and moving technology out of that building would likely exceed the replacement cost.
On transportation, Gleason noted historical bus driver shortages and a prior pay correction to recruit drivers; the budget includes an approximate $65,000 expense to purchase routing software previously funded by the state. He said the software will support an app so parents can track buses in real time, and the district has been unable to fill a mechanic position for more than a year, which is why one mechanic position was removed from the budget.
Ending: The district framed the facilities and transportation expenses as investments to reduce long‑term operating costs and to modernize services, while acknowledging short‑term budgetary impact.