Superintendent Mark Bedell today presented a $198.5 million FY2024 capital budget recommendation to the Board of Education that contains construction funding for five major school projects.
Dr. Bedell’s recommendation contains $132.4 million for major capital projects that include construction at the following schools, in priority order:
- West County Elementary School construction, $12.6 million
- Old Mill Middle School South construction, $37.3 million
- Center of Applied Technology – North construction, $58.4 million
- Old Mill Middle School North design/construction, $11.4 million
- Old Mill High School design/construction, $12.7 million
The Old Mill High School request is for a new facility on the school’s current Patriot Lane site and separate from the construction of Old Mill High School West, which is being built on the former Papa John’s Farm in Severn.
Dr. Bedell’s recommendation also contains $37.0 million for building systems renovations, $7.0 million to continue to reduce the maintenance backlog, and $4.0 million for classroom additions. Also included is $3.5 million for athletic stadium improvements, a $3.0 million request for roof replacement projects, and $2.0 million for security related upgrades.
Dr. Bedell has also provided the Board with a recommended six-year Capital Improvement Plan which allocates requested funding for projects through FY2029.
The Board will hold a public workshop on Dr. Bedell’s recommendations at 6 p.m. on Monday, September 19. No public testimony will be taken at the workshop, but testimony will be taken at a public hearing scheduled to be held before the Board takes up initial adoption at its next regularly scheduled public meeting on September 21, 2022.
After approval by the Board, the plan will be submitted to the State of Maryland for funding consideration. The plan will also be part of the school system’s overall FY2024 budget request, to be forwarded to the County Executive in February 2023 after the Board holds additional public hearings. The County Council will review that plan and adopt a final capital budget for the school system by June 2023.
Dr. Bedell’s complete FY2024 capital budget recommendation can be found here.