The Alamance-Burlington school system’s chief operations officer, Greg Hook ticked off a long list of repair projects for ABSS schools, which he said are complete or are nearing completion, during a presentation to school board members Monday night.
All of the projects have been funded by Alamance County’s commissioners, through a combination of annual capital outlay, a long-range capital improvement plan (CIP), and/or an additional $19.5 million in bonds from the original $150 million bond package approved for ABSS in 2018, which the commissioners voted to issue in 2024 (see accompanying charts).
Roof repairs and replacements are underway or nearly complete at four high schools (Eastern, Graham, Southern, and Western) and two middle schools (Graham and Western), Hook told school board members during his “back-to-school project update” Monday night.
A $364,300 contract to replace the roof on the gym at Haw River Elementary School was awarded to Triangle Roofing Services of Zebulon Monday night, as part of the school board’s “consent agenda,” which included nine other non-controversial items that were approved in a single motion.
“That project should begin any time,” Hook told the board this week.
Bids are currently being solicited to repair original portions of the roof that are currently leaking at South Mebane Elementary, the COO said, explaining that the recently-renovated elementary school has a “small section of [roofing with] active leaks.”
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The COO confirmed for The Alamance News later Monday night that the leaks are in the “the oldest part of the roof from the original hallway” that leads to the school library – not the classroom addition or cafeteria expansion funded by the 2018 bond package and completed several years ago.
Meanwhile, Hook had previously said in the fall of 2023 that 42 work orders for roof leaks at Eastern High School had been submitted to his department between 2021 and 2023 – including the newest roof installed on the cafeteria expansion in 2021.
Those problems still haven’t been resolved, Hook told the board this week.
ABSS is continuing to negotiate with a contractor to repair ongoing water leaks at Eastern High School, which Hook described as “ponding” on top of several sections of roof, without specifying whether the contractor he referenced is the Greensboro-based H.M. Kern Corporation, hired in 2021 as the general contractor for the $11.7 million renovation and expansion at Eastern High School that was funded by the 2018 bond package, or one of its subcontractors.
[Story continues below chart of current ABSS roof projects.]
There are also roof leaks at the Garrett Elementary/Hawfields Middle complex along N.C. Highway 119 in Mebane, which are currently being investigated by engineers on retainer with ABSS, Hook pointed out during his update.
“This is around the high walls for the gyms and some of the arts area,” which Hook said has a “low slope” metal roof. “Water is coming into the building – quite a while now,” he said.
As for other roof projects pending completion, Hook said that a roof replacement at Graham Middle School that began in the spring of 2024 is currently stalled due to what he termed supply chain issues.
“The contractor is waiting on the metal company to manufacture a specific piece of trim metal,” Hook elaborated.
Projects funded by capital improvement plan and $19.5M bond premium
As part of his back-to-school projects update, Hook included a bullet-point list of roof and/or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) projects at eight schools that were funded by the bond premium (i.e., additional debt on top of the original $150 million bond package voters approved for ABSS in 2018, which the county commissioners authorized last year), Hook confirmed for the newspaper prior to the school board’s latest meeting.
During his subsequent update to the school board, Hook said several other contracts for roof and/or HVAC projects, funded under a long-range “capital improvement plan” (CIP), will be presented for approval on September 22.
The contracts that Hook said he intends to present to the school board for approval late next month include:
- Haw River Elementary School: A contract for installation of a new chiller;
- Southern Middle School: A design contract for a “complete re-roof” throughout, except for the gym and cafeteria;
- Sylvan Elementary School: design contract for a roof project and contract for installation of a new chiller.
School board members had authorized Hook earlier this month to begin negotiations with Samet to serve as the design/build firm for those other HVAC projects. School board members had previously approved a separate design-build contract with Samet for HVAC upgrades at Graham High School, at an estimated cost of $5.7 million, in May of this year.
ABSS has earmarked $4.5 million for that project during the 2025-26 fiscal year that began July 1, based on a long-range capital improvement plan (CIP) budget that school board members approved this spring and forwarded to Alamance County government officials.
Approximately $5 million is also designated for comprehensive HVAC system replacements over each of the four subsequent fiscal years between 2026-27 and 2029-30, based on the CIP that the school board approved this spring.
Meanwhile, HVAC projects approved for 16 schools between 2022 and 2024 were funded by a combination of county capital outlay; the $19.5 million bond “premium” that the commissioners authorized in 2024; and a portion of the federal Covid-19 stimulus relief funding that ABSS received, which ultimately totaled more than $95 million, according to the school system’s financial dashboard.
Hook had said last summer that $26 million in Covid-19 stimulus funding had been used to overhaul the HVAC systems at eight schools, which were targeted for “substantial completion” in August 2024, and HVAC upgrades and/or replacements would be completed at eight more schools in subsequent fiscal years (see accompanying chart).
At the conclusion of Hook’s update, school board vice chairman Dan Ingle said, “I’m impressed by what we’ve completed.” Other board members echoed that sentiment.
“When we say all of these are funded,” ABSS superintendent Dr. Aaron Fleming said Monday night of the ongoing or planned capital projects. “Someone funded them; obviously, it’s our taxpayers, and our county commissioners allocated them.”
Fleming added that a separate five-year facility needs survey that has been conducted for ABSS by a firm in Greensboro will be presented at the board’s upcoming work session on September 9. “It will be a big one – I have seen a preview of it,” the superintendent added.
For a complete list of capital projects, including updates to ABSS athletic facilities, that are complete or underway, visit: https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=10&MID=17284
