001Good evening. It's March 16, 2026. Time 5:30 p.m. We're about to have our building grounds transportation committee meeting. President, myself, Piro, President Gale Payne, vice president Alvarez, board member Eric Marzone, Mr. T, our facility director, Dr. Layman, our acting superintendent, Miss Garcia, principal at Mille, and Miss Martyr from transportation. Uh we're going to start the meeting off tonight with our first part of the agenda which will be the uh You want to do Millie first? >> Sure. >> Why don't we Why don't we go to Mille first? The third thing. So my understanding is that there was a um there's some chatter on Facebook about uh the facade at um Mil Lake School having either mold or dirt or whatever and we want to clean it up. Um my understanding when I heard this from
002people was that the uh PTA was going to bring in somebody the first week of April and do this. Um I called Mr. Tig, Dr. Layman, and I was like, you know, this is something that I think should be handled by the district. Like I don't believe that we should use PPA money to go towards kids, not to help us. So, uh speaking with Dr. Lyn and Mr. Mr. T, I think we came up with a semi resolution for the spring break. >> Yes. >> Do you want to work with Mr. T? So, Mr. Garcia, you could pass it on to them. >> Sure. So, the week of spring break, facility staff work, we don't have off that week. So, we are going to um have our crew go over there and make an attempt
003at power washing and trying to take some of the iron that has washed down on the face of the building off of it. And my understanding is those pieces on there. Uh eventually when we do the roof project, they will probably no longer be there. >> Correct. So we had the board had considered re-roofing that roof this summer as one of the capital projects. It's not currently in the budget, but when that happens, that will all be addressed. >> Okay. And my only other question is that if um if we can't get it like if it's something in the metal, >> right, >> would it be possible at some point to paint that metal to cover it, make it look better? >> Sure. Actually, Miss Garcia had proposed that in the previous year's budget painting
004it, but when we talked with Dr. Chanley and there were previous budget cuts going on, that did not make the budget. Okay. And part of the rationale was >> the anticipation of doing the roof. >> Doing the roof, which makes sense. >> You don't paint a house until you put siding on it. So it's kind of focus. >> Do we know do you recall about how much it would be to paint it the amount of money it was the estimate? >> It varies on how many of them you want to do. So like when we looked at power washing we talked last year about a contractor doing it. It was quite costly to do the entire building and then we talked about well how about we just get kind of the front book of the
005building and the side the main areas. Um >> so we we could paint it at some point. We even do it with our staff. you know. >> Yeah. Maybe it could even be like a project that kids could pick the pink colors. Maybe something a little bit darker that doesn't show. >> Maybe draw a mural. You could draw a mural on it because somebody the artistic in the school could so that would be cool. >> I saw the pictures. I didn't realize how cold it was. Yes. So, I think um if Miss Garcia could pass back to your PTAs that um we're going to be on it and that >> if we can't get it clean at some point, we will definitely work on repainting it if we're not going to replace the roof. Okay.
006>> Because that money should go for the kids. >> It should be for the kids. At no point should money be spent on >> Can I ask what type of deadline or date time are you thinking about having you're saying spring break? Will it all be done? >> Power washed only during spring break. Okay. >> Yeah. try to clean it up best. If that doesn't work, then Mr. T. >> Another plan at some point. >> Yes, >> we have something to start out with and then >> we could do the front. >> Okay. >> I think we could just do the front. We did the um pillars in the front. We painted them as pencils. I don't know if you've powered those and it was it was okay, but it's the high that we couldn't.
007>> Yes. >> Okay. Now, since um I saw the post, too, and since Mr. Cara brought up the word mold. Um, it was on the in on that post. Is that something you guys would test? >> That there was no mold on the post. I >> I don't I don't think >> it wasn't black mold. >> I doubt it's mold, but just since it was brought up here. >> Yeah. No, I I've looked at it. It's not mold. I mean, we've not had a laboratory tested, but I think even the post indicated >> Yeah. The post that it was oxidation in the metal wasn't black sold. It said post. Okay. >> Okay. >> It was funny because before that post was posted, I had started walking again. >> She had messaged me the day before
008and said send me a picture and said, "Hey, could we add this to somebody else?" >> And then the next day I get all these calls. It's on Facebook and I'm like, "All right, Cara, thank you very much for Okay, we appreciate it." >> Thank you. All right, let's move on to our next spot which will go over the ESEP project update. Okay, so committee member received the construction progress update on ESIP. Give you an overview of what's going on. You can see we're more than 90% complete on the lighting throughout the district. Um few odds and ends to complete up. One part of the weather related. We have some outdoor parking lot lighting to do and just waiting for better weather. Uh the boilers which are two of the major projects at Barkley Brook
009and the middle school. Those installations are substantially complete. We've actually been last Monday night through the summer through the winter heating off of those new boilers. So, we're going through a process with state inspections, closing out permits and so on. That has gone well. We made it through the winter and we now have reers. Um, the other component is we have some air handling, HAC units that are scheduled to be replaced. We had targeted doing that over spring break, but now the spring break has been shortened with the three-day week. Uh we're working with Honeywell to see whether or not that is actually viable and whether or not we're going to proceed with those. Those had originally been scheduled to be done this coming summer, but we thought if we would get them done maybe
010spring break, >> we would do it. So, it's iffy whether or not we're going to get to those. >> Okay. >> Um and then the rest of the work is proceeding on schedule or what is honey control. The other aspect of the project, as you know, is the solar and kind of had to do a data dump for you. If you look through any of the documents that were there, that is the solar uh plan specifications, submissions, all the stuff we've been going through with um the state and we're close to close out on that. Working with the local municipality now on permits Solar is our contractor and we're just near the point of having permits released. I must say the township building department has been wonderful in streamlining this for us. They've been very
011attendant to the applications. Um, I think we had about eight emails with them back and forth today and it'll be new process. That's going very well. Once they release the permits, then we'll get started on to solar construction and that'll be wrapped up by the end of the summer. And that's a real plus for the ISA program. As everybody knows from their home energy bill, electricity costs are going up, >> going up. >> We are locked into really low rates. Everything can be produced from the solar and we're buying back for pennies on the dollar. >> Can I can I ask a question? >> Sure. And and only because you mentioned solar. We were at took our grandson to a Ruters basketball game and the parking lot has well the solar panel from the park.
012>> Yeah. They're doing here. >> That's what they're going to be doing here. That's what I wanted to say. Yeah. Okay. So that's what that east Okay. I just wanted to make sure. >> That's one of the projects. >> One of the projects. >> Okay. So that we will get reward rewards from that when that's all on. Okay. >> Absolutely. >> What is the what is the timeliness of that? I I always like deadlines. So, >> so again, once the permits are released, we'll start construction within the next month and we should be wrapped up by the end of summer. >> Thanks. >> So, just a general overview at Woodland School, we're covering the vast majority of the roof there. Um, over at the transportation building, Smarter's building, the bus garage will have solar panels
013installed on it. At Barkley Brooks School, three quarters of the school are getting solar panels on the roof. At Applegart School, as you face the school from the street, the left hand side, the field there is going to be all solar, nothing on the school roof. At Oak Tree, if you're familiar with the site, there's a baseball field behind. And then behind the baseball, there's an open field of land that we own. So, there'll be another solar array back in that field there. Over at the middle school, we're probably doing say 65% of the roof surface will be covered with panels. at the high school as we talk the parking lot on the side and park the front here will have the canopies over it and that will be a welcome uh situation for us
014in snowtorms because uh >> be icing it would be nice tonight too that we don't have to run the rain and tornado possibility >> so that's what you'll see you'll see it's all going >> to reach that's so great >> you have an estimated like um cost of savings like this will save uh just in like energy or Yes. So the ISA program is an energy savings improvement program and what that means is the state allows you to do all these energy saving projects. They calculate what the savings will be and then you're allowed to use that saving money for infrastructure projects. So the savings that we're getting primarily from the lighting the solar pays for the boilers that we just talked about at Barkley Brook in the middle school. It pays for chillers at
015Barkley Brook and Woodland School which were installed. It pays for new temperature controls um and some of the rooftop and HBAC units over at the middle school. So all of that infrastructure work is being funded by so you keep your utility payment and these are just hypothetical moments. Let's say you're paying a million dollars a year for utilities, electric and gas. Because of the projects that we did, our utility bill, let's say, has dropped down to $700,000. So that's $300,000. that $300,000 we've borrowed against and done infrastructure improvements. So, we are at least net zero. So, it doesn't cost you anything to do any of the work uh and you have long-term savings here. We're actually going to be on the better side of this when this is done in that it's going to pay
016for all of the infrastructure that is done and then uh net some money back to the district for the business side to deal with. >> Good stuff. >> Yes. Very good stuff. >> Anything else on that, Mr. Tape? >> No. >> Okay. Okay, why don't we move on to our uh let's do the Monro Township High School conversion of the team room classrooms. So if you didn't recall I was not here from last meeting but Rich Aliso principal with Dragon Architecture was here. Dr. Higgins was here from the high school. Dr. Higgins spoke of the need for additional space and the possibility of converting those team rooms into general instructional classrooms. Uh Mr. Mr. Alaruso spoke to that I guess with you and then as the committee requested he provided a proposal which you have
017a copy of uh for them to do the design plans resolutions all the kind of stuff they need to get to the state to get this project going which is $17,000 want to go ahead with that and committee wants to go ahead with that we start the process and then once we determine the full scope of work which I don't think is going to be significantly subst substantial um because those rooms were constructed in 2011 or pretty much up to code. The main thing we'll probably look there with is HAC systems whether or not the air changes in the room that were designed for a team room meet what we need from the classroom. This study will develop the scope of the project in order to determine what was actually needed. Then we can from
018that determine what the cost will be to turn those rooms in and then the board will have a decision whether or not I can go ahead and actually do the demolition project. Good. Yeah, I got to see the rooms with Dr. Leven and uh it's it's different seeing them when when you're just listening about it, but it makes you know everything makes perfect sense and it's a it's a great use of space that's just not being utilized right now and very cost effective. >> Yes, very much so. >> Sounds good. So, yeah, we're going to move ahead with that, right? >> Yes, we'll move ahead with that. >> Yes. Okay, we'll put on the agenda for the agenda for people. Yes. Okay, let's do the Applegar school rock brand. >> Okay, so the work over
019at Applegar school, as mentioned previously, we have the roofing work which is 98% done. We did our inspections when construction is done. We bring in the roof manufacturer, the different warranty inspections. We had those. We had a punch list put together and then kind of the winter weather hit us. So, we tabled finishing things up on that until the spring. So now that we're breaking, we're going to get the original contractor back out there. You may recall during previous meetings where we had an issue, we have a section of the roof where there was some for settlement and we had to do some structural modifications. We brought in a structural engineering fund. Um that's affecting the roof above. So we have to do a modification to a section of roof up there. Nothing majorly substantial.
020The money is in the project for this. We have an allowance set aside for that. So now the weather is settling. We'll be coming back in a short while to show you how we close out the project and how we're going to apply to this last months. So that's the brief portion of it. The electrical portion, as we mentioned, substantially complete. We just have to close out legal issues on this contract. And the HBAC contract, we're probably at about a 90% completion standpoint there. As you know, we moved back in uh for January 1st and we've been working on the second shift since that. So we have moves out there every day from 3 to 11. Mr. seeing who you met last time. He's on site every night with them and continuing to work through
021getting things wrapped up over there. We made it through the heating season. Now we'll be entering the cooling season shortly, so they have to start up the air conditioning components of the building, do our commissioning checks, make sure all that kind of stuff works, and then we look to close that project down. Awesome. Uh you may also recall, those of you who have been on the committee for a while, when uh we did the roofing project and the HVAC, we talked about the roofs over there. We did the 1936 building shingle roof two summers ago because that didn't affect anything with HAC. The other sections had existing HAC equipment on it and we although we were ready to do those roofs, we didn't want to put a new roof on, pull off broken down old
022HAC equipment, put it back on, come back nine months later, pull that stuff off, patch the put new HAC equipment on. So we took that process. Uh you may recall a conversation we had about putting in a special kitchen hood for the kitchen and we had that bid separately and it was I think over $350,000 just to put a hood in for the kitchen >> because of how we had to route the duct work through the 1936 building up through the old roof and out co um we did not proceed in that regard. We said we're going to table that and save that money. Now that we are through that phase, we look at, okay, one component we have left is to heat the kitchen itself. So we have a small design done. We're going
023to use allowance monies to apply towards that and we'll get that going shortly. We still have additional allowance money that we can apply to the project, items that were affected in there and we'll strategically use those. Um, for example, areas where we had to, you know, tear up floors to access things for construction. With the allowance money, we can have those rooms recarpeted, retile, but we'll hold off the majority of that summer. We just don't want to disrupt. But all in all, it's going well. The other main component to the rod grant project is actually the rod grant monies. And that process is rather extensive. Miss Allen and I have been making submissions to the state for the grant reimbursement. uh our latest submission was 196 pages of documents that are requested related as the
024project and then they sent out a site inspector last week u from the New Jersey schools development authority. So I spent the day with him touring the project. He looked over installations verifying that everything that we've done is is in keeping with Rod Grant parameters and they will now process release and no fun. So things are moving as they should. Um, and you know, couple hiccups here and there, but with Dave on site every night, anytime we identify a problem, we're on top of it and a school is progressing. >> Very good. >> The only um other thing I want to touch on, it's um I noticed and a lot of people noticed there's some damage to the fats and stuff from the snow plows. And >> I understand you're working with the contractor to
025try to rectify whatever issues. Wait, if anybody else asks, um, yes, we know that. >> So, we typically do a punch list after they're done. Um, we just kind of really wait until things melted, see the full extent of damage. They're been very responsive and receptive to it. We've had damage from previous storms, which they've always intended to. They are by trade landscape contractors. So, I know as spring unfolds where they tore up the grass and so on, we'll be able to take care of those. We put them in touch with the fence contractor we used here in high school because there's quite a bit of damage to fence out there. Yeah, >> there's some curved sections that are chipped. Uh things like that, but those will all be attended to. >> Okay. >> Is
026there any other snowplow damage anywhere else that we should be aware of? >> So remember, we balance the snow plow work with our own operations wherever possible. We try and do it ourselves. The bigger stuff obviously we farm out. So that contractor is responsible for high school, middle school, and oak tree. So those are their stores. uh at Barkley Brook or Brookside if one of our district guys and one of our plows trip the occur that's ours. So >> okay, anybody had a question about that? >> Just one other thing with that. Go ahead. >> So his is an annual contract. So the board will have to consider whether or not you do a renewal with that. So not that he wouldn't do it, but it's in his best interest to be responsive if he
027wants to be. >> Can you give us the name of the contract so we know when it comes up? >> Custom Care. In in your opinion, it's not better to try and do everything all in house. I know we had like a crazy winter, but I I just know >> we don't have the equipment. >> Snow is just I mean, just even just purchasing some of the equipment, >> you need loaders, big loaders to move this snow. >> A nice balance of that. We we several years ago bought one of you ever seen called Big Blue, one of the large bought them trucks for years. We just had pickup trucks and what are they called mason dumps little and we just couldn't keep up with the volume assault them and the board made a wise
028investment in getting us that piece of equipment and we can do the entire district with that. Uh to your point the contract allows us to do all of the work up to a certain amount of inches and then the contractor has the opportunity to do certain schools and in some cases if it's beyond our capabilities. Now, pickup truck plow can only move so much snow and we can push it, but then you need heavy equipment to be able to lift it. And >> in our case here, we have these large basins that are for overflow. And if you see the size of equipment that he has and the operators that he has to, you know, get that and hoist it and truck it off site. So, we don't have that equipment. It's not cost effective
029for us to own that equipment. >> Do we pay by the snowstorm or is it just one fixed rate for the whole winter? >> We pay by inch. We have the scale there. how many inches. So if we decide to use him for a certain storm and we document afterwards that 6 in school X at 6 in is worth this value. School Y at 12 in is worth that value. So although he gets a contract for the year, there have been years where we have spent >> Z handled everything. um you know contractually again he's inflable to snow at you know certain limits and obviously this last storm was well limit >> yeah I just know >> both of them >> you know some some it's depending on the the usually it's a landscaping company
030some of them just charge you like x amount for the whole year whether you get snow or not and then others charge you um you know by the storm so we we probably paid way more than we would have if it was x amount but the last like four years. We haven't really had any majors of those sorts. >> Yeah. So, you'll see when we bid it, there will be what appears to be an award for hypothetical number $244,000. That does not mean we're paying in that. That is the basis for the bid. So, all the biders put in their cost for the storms and you have to have a way to determine who would be the >> the highest or the lowest. So we come up with a term, you know, the term of
031doing every single storm in every single inch and what would your total be and we work from there. Uh but again it's a nice balance where he typically will take care of three schools on the big stuff and we take care of the others and then we have the ability through what are called time and material rates to use him for some uh moving of snow. So even though say we did the snow at Brookside, uh we might have piles there that we just can't get out of the way and we'll pay him x dollars per hour to bring us heavy equipment there and pick those files and we enforce them necessary. So it's been going well for a lot of year. So >> yeah, >> going it's they were I will say that very
032efficient with this storm. I mean, I would say a couple days after the storm, almost every one of our lives, >> well, the big storm we had, we were sidewalks were clear >> by noon the next. So, we had the day off the first day, the second day we were closed. That second day at noon, >> it was very efficient. >> We the buildings could have been open. >> I mean, the rest of the town was. >> Yeah. I mean, but it but it like the buildings themselves, the buildings proper were clean and then we, you know, obviously had a little snow the next morning which covered it all up again. But um enough about our custodian staff, how hard they work. I mean, you saw that snow out there and and Donna staff as
033well for hours on end with shovels, hand shoveling and stuff. uh our people, they show up, they produce, and um yeah, >> I actually think the first storm was worse because that snow was heavier. >> Yes, they did. >> So, that must have been back our custodial. >> They did they did an excellent job. >> Yeah, they did a great job. >> I was actually surprised that day three would didn't we didn't have to open late. >> Yeah, I mean that that snowstorm was unrelated to, you know, we were ready to roll. I mean, we were actually talking to each other. We probably could have gotten away with in terms of our local facilities. The buses could have arrived and we could have had almost a delayed opening >> on Tuesday. >> Yeah. On Tuesday,
034the rest of the community were still shoveling our driveways and bus stops. >> But the facilities itself were in such good shape because we even had one one of >> Mr. T staff members >> was in the building overnight. So, he would be on site the next morning. >> Yeah. One of our custodians, he lives far away and he said, "I didn't want to risk not being there." >> Yeah. >> He called me. He said, "Do you mind if I sleep in the board room tonight?" >> And we had two other people that did the same. They just came in and slept here so they'd be ready to go. >> So, it's a commitment. >> Good devotions dedication. That's nice. Yeah. >> Is there anything else, Mr. P? >> Dr. Lame, anything else building before
035we go to transportation? >> Nope. Nope. We just have an update on the bus app. >> Okay. Why don't we go down to Miss Marty and take a fill in on the uh transportation and what's going on with the bus app and everything. >> Yeah, we've been working on it and um we're thinking about uh using it for the middle school to test with a few of the buses that go to the middle school to see how that is because with the little ones it's a little different than with the older children. And I I do believe it's going to flow a lot easier with the middle school. But um you know, we'll see the >> plan is to use the same drivers. Obviously, it's different routes because it's uh middle school routes instead of
036elementary routes. And uh middle school students already have their IDs. Yeah. Right. So, when they get on the bus, they swipe on the iPad. When they get off the bus, they swipe. Um in terms of how it works, the iPads are uh in the bus. >> So, when a student swipes in, it's almost like attendance on the bus. Um the parents have access to see the iPad's location and the iPad's location is on the bus. Okay? Okay. And then when the student gets off, they swipe off the bus. Again, it's like attendants leaving the bus. Once they swipe off the bus, then uh the parents can't see the bus anymore because their student has signed off the bus. Um it's simple. It's a bus tracking app. And uh you know, the the feedback was um
037pretty good for the elementary level. It's definitely challenging because we don't have >> the IDs, >> printed IDs. So we we gave the students IDs in terms of swiping on and swiping off, but they they didn't have their ID. they could type in their their number and you know the bus drivers it was a little slower. Um many districts around us though start at the elementary level and use it um and they started generating engines for them. So it's possible to do at the elementary level for sure. Um the thought with the middle school is um specifically even like in some of the after school activities and stuff we often get a call hey my son or daughter they didn't make it home. Turns out they went to the friend's house or something like that.
038But at least we'd be able to say, "Hey, they logged on the bus, they got off the bus, and we can start, you know, help >> locating that child." It doesn't happen very often, but it's just another layer of security. >> Well, even if they stay for a club, sometimes the parents aren't aware that they stay at the club. My students not home, so we have to call the school >> and find out. But this way, the parents can know right away they're not on the bus. >> Yeah. They wouldn't sign on their bus to go home and things like that. So, >> when will this be started in the middle school? >> Or has it started? >> It hasn't started yet. What they're doing is they're syncing up uh the new rosters when we
039started. >> So, it's >> I believe it would be after um spring break. >> After spring break. Yeah. >> April. >> Yep. And the company's been great in terms of extending our uh trial. >> Yeah. They've been wonderful. The company has. They've been really good. >> So, we're done doing it at Milik. >> I'm sorry. >> We're done doing it at elementary or we >> Yes, we are done doing it right now at Mil Lake. But I just want to say with with anything when you change it takes everybody a little while to get used to then once they get used to it's second nature you know with the children. So although it's like a little I'm sure once they got used to it it'll be fine >> and at Millie >> Barkley Brook we
040did a Barkley Brook sign at Millie. >> Yes. >> So we were doing Oh we didn't do it at Millie. That was >> we were going to do it at Millie. >> We did it at Barkley Brook and Brookside. >> Yep. >> Okay. So, how did that work out? Like your feedback, Don? >> Well, the the drivers, you can speak to the driver's feedback. >> Yeah. And the drivers um again, they're getting used to it and it's a temporary thing right now. So, I tried to explain to them if we took this on, you know, and it was going to be permanent. I would have them mounted on the bus. So, their concern was they were going to drop it and the kids were still getting used to it. But um you know like I
041said once everybody is familiar with it I don't I don't see an issue with I really don't. >> In terms of other feedback um there's a lot of things that are on cell phones already like find my iPhone and stuff like that and it provides a location of where you know a parent can log on to that and see where their child is. So >> you know there are other ways >> for uh so parents identify. So I would say you know it's a convenience thing from a from a parent's perspective. Um but you know >> after the initial setup who would be responsible for like keeping up with like new students or students leaving >> it'll sync with my um >> transportation. >> Yeah. My trans my routing um you know program that I
042use. >> They can link them together. >> So if I put a student on a bus that information will go directly into that system. Um probably you know sometime in the night they'll they'll sync it. >> So that's how it would go. Um and and then if the only other thing is if the students leave early or they're absent that would be uh the school itself would have to enter you know like there I'm sure I I'm not on that end so I don't know how they go about doing it but there will be training for the school staff so that the secretaries can enter it if they're absent >> in terms of in the morning like sometimes the buses are running late and the there's not always an email or a phone call. There's
043no way to track the bus until your child gets onto the bus. Correct. >> Yeah. >> Correct. Just swipe on it. >> Yep. >> Speaking of uh how are we doing bus driver wise? Where are we where are we at now? >> Uh the absenteeism has been high. I have a few out on medical. >> We're dealing with the flu. >> Yeah. >> So, are we doing a lot of double runs? Couple like >> We have been We have been We have been doing quite a few. Um they haven't been as late. I mean ultimately the best case scenario would be no delay whatsoever but >> we've been packaging them so we whatever what drivers whatever drivers can get there in the safest most efficient way I've been packaging those two together to double up
044so this way the children aren't delayed as long as if I just pick some random person to double the route. So we've been working on that. Not that I want to double it all but unfortunately we've been forced to because of the >> Now we know the bus shortage. That's why I was just curious. We added bus drivers this year, but >> um I did have two bus aids move on and I did get two additional new bus, but the problem is I get two drivers. Two drivers. >> It's that's always the case. But I do have a good bunch. I have to say they're very helpful >> and you know when they're not sick, they are reliable and they come in on time. I they they really are a good bunch of drivers. >>
045Yeah. And I mean my only thing is I know you never avoid it but I just um think that if we run into a lot of these streaks that the same group of kids aren't always late for school that we have to adjust it that >> keep an eye on rotating. So for that run that's the second pick up. >> Yes. >> Anybody else have any transportation question? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I think that'll conclude our meeting. Thank you. Thank you for