Buildings work, security upgrades will keep schools busy

After being entrusted by Town Meeting with a much larger capital contribution than usual, the schools are gearing up for a busy summer to start fiscal 2014.

Although the district managed to get by with far less in recent years, buildings and grounds director Matt Torti said the infusion of funding is sorely needed.

"This is the amount wed really like to see annually," he said. "Were a long way from being up to speed, but this is a very good start in a positive direction."

The schools $3.6 million capital allocation for fiscal 2014 include $900,000 for two major projects scheduled this upcoming year: $500,000 for another phase of the districts ongoing technology equipment and infrastructure upgrades, and $400,000 for a feasibility study of Fuller Middle School and Farley Middle School. The latter expense is intended to help school officials determine which building currently only Fuller is used as a public school will be Framinghams middle school of the future.

Other planned capital projects, including rooftop HVAC unit replacements, energy conservation control installations, and paving work, are part of continuing programs.

Where the extra capital funding will come in handy is to accomplish some of the tasks that have been put off in recent years, Torti said, like mechanical and plumping upgrades and replacing tiles at some of the schools. The additional capital will also help buildings and grounds buy a new mower and dump truck vehicles the department has had to wait years to replace.

With much more to spend, Torti expects his crews to be busier this summer than last.

"Absolutely," he said, "$3.6 million is more money, therefore we do more work."

Former Fuller Middle School principal Juan Rodriguez is also keeping busy these days thanks to the additional $250,000 that Town Meeting approved for security projects around town, most of which will be spent on the schools. The soon to be retired administrator was tasked by Superintendent Stacy Scott shortly after the December Newtown, Conn., shootings to oversee an audit of Framinghams security system, and Gonzalez said the quarter-million-dollar contribution OKd by voters last month will go a long way to fund the improvements he and other school administrators have identified with the help of town public safety officials.

Some of the expenses officials will start to prioritize at a meeting scheduled today, he said, are new scanning systems at school entrances for employees, building interior cameras that can be accessed by the police and fire departments, and a new ID badge system. In addition, several schools are hoping to buy new walkie-talkies that can be used to contact public safety personnel in addition to other education staff.

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Buildings work, security upgrades will keep schools busy