The Gates Chili Central School District presented an operations update on Oct. 21 showing staff reorganizations, new cleaning technology and a phased rollout of automated security systems designed to streamline daily operations and emergency response.

Executive Director of Operations and Security Sam Bellas said the district realigned departments over the summer and placed facilities, security, transportation, school nutrition and construction under a single operations umbrella. ‘‘We are the backbone of the district, supporting the great work that happens each and every day,’’ Bellas said.

Facility supervisor Joel DeSanto (presented in the meeting as Joel/Joe DeSanto) told the board the department maintains roughly 820,000 square feet of building space and about 230 acres of land, including 21 athletic fields and Spartan Stadium. DeSanto said the custodial and grounds teams support about 3,900 students and roughly 750 staff and outlined summer projects including gym-floor refinishing, parking-lot mill-and-overlay work and pavement relining.

DeSanto described new investments in cleaning technology: autonomous floor-cleaning machines to increase efficiency and provide usage data, and a Nexa refillable soap-dispensing system the district expects to cut soap costs by roughly 50 percent. He also highlighted staffing updates, including several recent promotions to head-custodian roles.

Security supervisor Steve Torres outlined the district's automated door-lock and digital PA display projects. "The doors will automatically lock during lockdown. There's no need to lock the door under stress with a key," Torres said, describing integration with the district's TAP safety app, panic buttons and new classroom locks. He said the PA/digital display installations had begun at the middle and high schools and that the district added weekend coverage and a full-time school resource officer provided by Gates Police, Officer Joe DeMartino.

Torres also said the district has mobile daytime security units at elementary sites, an afternoon mobile unit that covers campus into the evening and plans to hire a floating security worker. The board asked clarifying questions about rollout timing; Torres said classroom locks and displays would be phased in during the fall.

Why it matters: the measures intend to reduce routine workload for operations staff, lower recurring supply costs, and standardize emergency-response hardware and messaging districtwide. Several items will affect daily operations and parent communications as installations continue.

The board thanked staff for the update and for what one member called "impeccable" work supporting recent homecoming activities.