Gazette.Net: Montgomery executive denies school leaders

The backlog of heating, ventilation and air conditioning projects in Montgomery County Public Schools will have to wait if the County Council follows County Executive Isiah Leggetts recommendations, which was announced Tuesday.

Citing fiscal restraints, Leggett said he did not recommend amendments to the countys 2013-2018 Capital Improvement Program that would add $14.2 million to the school systems already approved $1.35 billion capital plan.

School Superintendent Joshua P. Starr and the Board of Education sent Leggett their request for the projects in November after a series of public hearings. The County Council will review Leggetts recommendations and finalize amendments in the spring.

The bulk of the request, or $11.5 million, would go to HVAC systems. The rest of the request is for $2.5 million for building parts such as fire alarms, public address systems, water and sewer systems, floors, ceilings, windows and doors as well as $220,000 for boundary and capacity studies for schools.

Starr said in a statement Tuesday he is disappointed, as the small increase would allow the school system to make much-needed infrastructure improvements.

Many of our HVAC systems are being used well beyond their expected life, and, each year, we are falling further behind in our infrastructure needs as we try to keep up with our growth, Starr wrote. We cannot continue to make repairs to systems that are long overdue for replacement.

The school system is so behind on repairs and replacements for the systems, it would have to spend $28 million per year for the next 10 years to catch up, according to MCPS information released in October.

Despite the urgency, school board President Christopher S. Barclay warned the community in November that the county might not approve the extra funds.

We have to recognize the possibility of these being pushed back by the executive, he said in November, adding that several projects have been pushed back in the past five years.

With growing enrollment and aging buildings, the requested improvements are crucial, Barclay said in a statement Tuesday.

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Gazette.Net: Montgomery executive denies school leaders