Legislature(2025 - 2026)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/14/2025 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Major Maintenance and School Construction | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 14, 2025
9:02 a.m.
9:02:41 AM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Hoffman called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Mike Cronk
Senator James Kaufman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Kelly Merrick
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Donny Olson, Co-Chair
ALSO PRESENT
Michael Butifoker, Facilities Manager, Department of
Education and Early Development; Lori Weed, School Finance
Manager, Department of Education and Early Development; Dr.
Lisa Parady, Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators; Rod Morrison, Superintendent, Southeast
Island School District.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Jim Anderson, Chief Operating Officer, Anchorage School
District.
SUMMARY
^MAJOR MAINTENANCE AND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION
9:04:17 AM
MICHAEL BUTIFOKER, FACILITIES MANAGER, DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT, (DEED)
9:04:25 AM
LORI WEED, SCHOOL FINANCE MANAGER, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT, discussed "Capital Needs for School
Facilities, Senate Finance Committee" (copy on file).
9:05:05 AM
Ms. Weed looked at slide 2, "Mission, Vision, and Purpose":
Mission
An excellent education for every student every day.
Vision
All students will succeed in their education and work,
shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves,
exemplify the best values of society, and be effective
in improving the character and quality of the world
about them.
-Alaska Statute 14.03.015
Purpose
DEED exists to provide information, resources, and
leadership to support an excellent education for every
student every day.
9:05:13 AM
Ms. Weed addressed slide 3, "Strategic Priorities: Alaska's
Education Challenge":
Five Shared Priorities:
1. Support all students to read at grade level by the
end of third grade.
2. Increase career, technical, and culturally relevant
education to meet student and workforce needs.
3. Close the achievement gap by ensuring equitable
educational rigor and resources.
4. Prepare, attract, and retain effective education
professionals.
5. Improve the safety and well-being of students
through school partnerships with families,
communities, and tribes.
9:05:33 AM
Ms. Weed pointed to slide 4, "Current Funding Mechanisms":
1. School Construction Grant Fund (1990) AS 14.11.005
2. Major Maintenance Grant Fund (1993) AS 14.11.007
3. Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA) and
Small Municipal School District School Fund (2010) AS
14.11.030
- Indexed Fund
- DR Funding divided by percent of municipal
schools multiplied by 0.244 AS 14.11.025
4. School Debt Reimbursement (DR) Funding AS 14.11.102
Ms. Weed addressed slide 5, "Current Project Categories (AS
14.11.013)(School Construction and Major Maintenance)
(A) Avert imminent danger or correct life-threatening
situations;
(B) House students who would otherwise be unhoused;
for purposes of this subparagraph, students are
considered unhoused if the students attend school in
temporary facilities;
(C) Protect the structure of existing school
facilities;
(D) Correct building code deficiencies that require
major repair or rehabilitation in order for the
facility to continue to be used for the educational
program;
(E) Achieve an operating cost savings;
(F) Modify or rehabilitate facilities for the purpose
of improving the instructional program;
(G) Meet an educational need not specified in (A)
(F) of this paragraph, identified by the department
Ms. Weed looked at slide 6, "Capital Improvement Project
(CIP) Eligibility":
1. Six-year capital improvement plan
2. Functioning fixed asset inventory system (FAIS)
3. Proof of required property insurance
4. Certified preventive maintenance and facility
management program
5. Capital project and not routine maintenance
6. Participating share
9:10:43 AM
Ms. Weed discussed slide 7, "Grant Participation and
Eligibility":
• Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Grant Application
• Due from school districts on or before
September 1 (annually)
• CIP Application materials are posted on our
website
•(https://education.alaska.gov/facilities/facilit
iescip)
• Project Ranking
• Ranked in accordance with criteria in AS 14.11
and 4 AAC 31
• Eligibility
• Districts must have a six-year plan, a fixed
asset inventory system, adequate
• property loss insurance, and a preventive
maintenance and facility
• management program certified by the department
• CIP Priority Lists
• Initial lists are released on November 5
• Final lists are released after any appeals for
reconsideration are finalized
Ms. Weed pointed to slide 8, "What does it take to fill out
an application?"
Project Justification: Clearly articulate the need for
the project, including factors like facility age,
condition, and enrollment projections.
Scope of Work: Provide a detailed description of the
proposed work, including preliminary designs or
schematics.
Budget: Present a comprehensive budget outlining all
project costs and the district's participating share.
Supporting Documentation: Include educational
specifications, facility condition surveys, and any
other relevant assessments.
9:13:39 AM
Senator Kiehl asked whether an architect and engineer
needed to be hired to submit a successful application.
Ms. Weed replied not necessarily. She said that she had
seen successful applications that had not hired a
professional engineer.
9:14:08 AM
Senator Kiehl asked whether it would depend on the scope of
the work needed.
9:14:10 AM
Ms. Weed replied that it was possible and explained that
districts performed conditional surveys with their own
staff. She said that the best practice would be to get a
professional opinion to ensure safety.
9:15:06 AM
Ms. Weed discussed slide 9, "Grant Participation and
EligibilityFY2016 FY2026 The slide contained the FY2016
through FY2026 total CIP grant applications. She noted a
drop in FY2019 and FY2020 projects due to the first uses of
departmental authority to reallocate funds. She said that
over the last decade there had been approximately 117
applications submitted annually, or a 60 percent
participation rate. She said that during the first decade
of the program there had been an average of 176
applications submitted annually, with an 83 percent
participation rate, which were 25 percent funded between
the grant and the debt programs. That percentage was
currently at 16 percent.
Ms. Weed addressed slide 10, "Total Eligible Grant Projects
and Actual Grant Funding by Fiscal Year (whole dollars)
The slide listed, in whole dollars, for school construction
grants and major maintenance grants. She noted that the
years that showed requests with zero funded amounts were
the years that the department used their fund balance
allocation authority.
Ms. Weed looked at slide 11, "School Construction and Major
Maintenance Requests FY 2026 (whole dollars)
Ms. Weed displayed slide 12, "Total Six-Year Plan Requests
by FY (whole dollars) She said that the slide provided a
snapshot of districts current needs.
9:18:41 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman wondered, given the magnitude of the
requests, whether the department evaluated the compliance
of the 2011 Kasayulie consent decree.
9:18:59 AM
Ms. Weed replied that the department did not evaluate
specifically for the settlement but that the list rated
rural districts as top priority.
9:19:11 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman felt that the department should take the
decree into consideration. He noted a recent report that
showed deplorable conditions in St. Paul where students had
become ill because of a faulty HVAC system. He thought the
department should be proactive ahead of another lawsuit.
9:20:48 AM
Ms. Weed replied that the department worked to provide safe
and healthy environments for students and noted that the
th
school the senator spoke of was 6 on the list.
9:21:15 AM
Mr. Botifoker agreed.
9:21:17 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman argued that the request from the
department did not reflect the response Ms. Weed was
offering the committee.
9:22:12 AM
Co-Chair Stedman asked whether funding for an airplane had
been requested in the governors capital budget.
9:22:23 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman confirmed.
9:22:26 AM
Co-Chair Stedman expressed concern that the administration
has requested zero funds for major maintenance yet had
requested funding for an airplane. He thought that HVAC
systems for students were more of a priority than an
airplane. He asked whether the department had requested,
through OMB, to be included in the Capital Budget.
9:23:10 AM
Ms. Weed replied that the department annually put forth a
list tot the governor as part of the statutory process.
9:23:25 AM
Ms. Weed spoke to slide 13, "Recent Funding (SB 237
Report)":
• SB 237 (Chapter 93 SLA 2010) AS 14.11.035
• Annual report on school construction and major
maintenance funding
• First report completed in February 2013
• $1,749,967,541 in project funding 7/1/2010-12/3/2024
• Total project value for Debt projects
• State share value for Grant projects
February 2025 School Capital Project Funding Under
SB237 Report
• Project Funding by District (report Appendix A)
• Project Listing by District (report Appendix B)
9:24:03 AM
Senator Kiehl asked whether the $1.75 billion was all state
funds or if it included municipal tax dollars as well.
9:24:25 AM
Ms. Weed responded that the number did not include local
contributions.
9:24:46 AM
Senator Kiehl thought that the total project value would
include local contributions.
9:24:52 AM
Ms. Weed explained that the department tracked state share
for the grant project and the approved principal, but not
the state share of the approved principal.
9:25:28 AM
Senator Kiehl requested that the breakout of local and
state projects for municipalities be provided to the
committee. He understood that schools not in municipalities
were owned by the state.
9:25:44 AM
Ms. Weed replied that according to AS 14.08.151 the REAA
and education attendance areas could request by resolution
the titles to their buildings. She believed there were
currently 66 state owned schools.
9:26:21 AM
Ms. Weed looked at slide 14, "Recommended and Funded
Capital Renewal by FY She noted the marked shift in
percentage of capital funding over the years due to the
state budget crisis. She added that there continued to be
significant reduction in capital spending on school
projects both through the grant program and by instituting
the moratorium on the debt reimbursement program.
9:27:02 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether the department recommended
and extension to the moratorium for an additional 5 years.
9:27:08 AM
Ms. Weed said that the department would follow statute.
9:27:17 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman interjected that the department had
proposed extending the moratorium another 5 years.
9:27:20 AM
Ms. Weed agreed that the moratorium had been recommended
due to the fiscal climate.
9:27:34 AM
Senator Kiehl asked about the recommended 3 percent capital
renewal and whether the condition of rural schools in
Alaska could be categorized as having been maintained.
Ms. Weed replied that schools throughout the state,
regardless of whether they were rural or urban, were likely
not in a properly maintained state.
9:28:32 AM
Senator Kiehl asked about the percentage of the value of
the significantly deteriorated Alaska school facilities.
9:28:49 AM
Ms. Weed Asked for clarification of the question.
9:28:59 AM
Senator Kiehl wanted to know the industry standard for
owning a group of buildings and the percentage of capital
renewal for maintaining those buildings. He argued that if
the buildings were older and in poor condition the
percentage would not be 3 percent.
9:29:29 AM
Ms. Weed responded that she did not have numbers in front
of her. She agreed that the industry standard for
maintaining older and crumbling buildings would be higher
than 3 percent.
9:29:40 AM
Senator Kiehl contended that he had never once heard the
observation that the way to deal with dilapidated buildings
was not to maintain them and let them deteriorate.
Co-Chair Hoffman agreed.
9:30:05 AM
Ms. Weed discussed slide 15, "Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Deferred Maintenance (MEHS) (whole dollars)":
• Current projects funded $11,424,000
• FY2026 deferred maintenance request $22,842,000
Ms. Weed shared that MEHS did not fall under the AS 1411
grant program and received direct funding from the
legislature and could received money from the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities deferred maintenance
list.
9:30:53 AM
Co-Chair Stedman expressed concern that lumping MEHS in
with all the buildings owned by the state would be a
disadvantage to the school. He asked who requested the $22
million in funds and how the funds would be used.
9:31:29 AM
Ms. Weed replied that the request was submitted by DOT&PF
on the deferred maintenance list.
9:31:35 AM
Co-Chair Stedman wondered how the funds would get to MEHS
from DOT&PF.
9:31:54 AM
Ms. Weed replied that she did not know.
9:32:03 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman thought that it was an educational need,
and that the department should follow up with the
distribution of the funds so that the school was properly
maintained. He surmised that DEED had let the funds slip
through the cracks. He believed that the management of
MEHS should be reevaluated. He spoke to previous
legislation that made MEHS part of the educational system
and not managed by DOT&PF.
9:33:21 AM
Co-Chair Stedman argued that MEHS did not have a proper
advocate. He expressed dismay with the lack of advocacy by
DOT&PF for MEHS. He felt that MEHS was treated unfairly
when compared to other schools in the state. He lamented
that the only way to fund the deferred maintenance of MEHS
was to put a line item in the budget, which the governor
would ultimately veto, which he described as unfair and
unequitable. He hoped that the committee would look to
legislation that would give MEHS parity with other schools
in the state.
9:36:34 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman believed that staff was currently working
on legislation.
9:36:52 AM
Senator Kaufman asked whether the department had a
mechanism for ranking preservative maintenance of
buildings to avoid the premature deterioration of systems.
Ms. Weed replied that part of the requirements for
eligibility was that the districts have an operational
preventative maintenance program. She said that
preventative maintenance was an important part of keeping
buildings in good condition.
9:38:38 AM
Senator Kaufman thought that maintaining buildings
regularly helped in the overall life of the building.
9:39:57 AM
Ms. Weed responded that many school districts in the last
decade had faced financial challenges and that funds had
been stretched between funding classrooms and building
maintenance.
9:40:37 AM
Senator Kaufman expounded on potential risks and potential
returns and the efficient frontier in terms of building
maintenance.
9:41:11 AM
Ms. Weed addressed slide 6, Additional Resources.
9:41:25 AM
Senator Kiehl noted that the administration had not sent
departmental leadership to the hearing. He highlighted the
inadequate level of capital renewal funding. He stressed
that the governor had requested no funding for school
maintenance in the budget. He hypothesized that the plan
for funding was to burn down schools and collect the
insurance money.
9:42:54 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman thought that the state was in danger of
facing further litigation due to the condition of the
schools. He contended that the quality of education that
schools provided directly correlated to the condition of
the buildings. He cited the Kasayulie case where snow was
coming into schools and toilets were backing up. He argued
that the state should not wait to end up in the same legal
position that led to that court decision.
9:44:23 AM
AT EASE
9:45:48 AM
RECONVENED
9:46:13 AM
DR. LISA PARADY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA COUNCIL OF
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, discussed the presentation, "School
District Major Maintenance Sleetmute School Foundation,
Kuspuk School District" (copy on file). She detailed her
qualifications on slide 2.
Dr. Parady looked at slide 3, "ACSA Joint Position
Statements - Major Maintenance":
ACSA advocates for a thorough review and updated
process of the Department of Education and Early
Development's (DEED) Major Maintenance application
process.
In order to provide students and staff a safe and
healthy environment, we must ensure reliable,
adequate, and equitable funding through the DEED
school construction process for capital projects and
major maintenance to existing district facilities.
Dr. Parady pointed to slide 4, "Alaska Schools - by the
numbers":
129,903 students
53 school districts. In business terms, largest
employer in most communities
444 school facilities, 63 percent are greater than 40
years old
Dr. Parady addressed slide 5, "Ongoing Challenges: Deferred
maintenance
Growing maintenance needs, limited state funding
- Average building age: 45 years
- 83 buildings are over 60 years old
Current backlog: Over $330 million and growing
9:49:29 AM
Dr. Parady discussed slide 6, "School District Major
Maintenance":
? Alaska's schools are facing a critical
infrastructure crisis.
? Years of underfunding and deferred maintenance have
left schools in poor condition.
Dr. Parady noted the photo of Homer High School on the
right hand of the slide, which showed a rotting roof. She
lamented that many of the schools on the major maintenance
list had been on the list for many years, with no action
taken, which caused the buildings to further deteriorate.
Dr. Parady looked at slide 7, "Recommended and Funded
Capital Renewal by Fiscal Year - DEED 2024." She said that
since 2014, the legislature had not funded half of the
recommended amount, that coupled with the moratorium on
school bond debt had left boroughs and municipalities to
pay for projects and had left REAA districts to use flat or
underfunded general funds. She stressed that the moratorium
on school bond debt reimbursement had forced many districts
to defer school construction projects that resulted in
further deterioration and long-term damage, resulting in
unsafe conditions and higher costs for districts.
Dr. Parady addressed slide 8, "Projects on the DEED Major
Maintenance List The slide listed projects that had been
on the DEED Major Maintenance list since 2018. She pointed
out the projects in Yupiit and Kake that had been moved
down the priority list over the years. She said that there
were 84 total projects on this year's list but that many
schools had not applied due to the cost of the application
process and that projects were not prioritized on the list.
9:52:34 AM
Dr. Parady looked at slide 9, "Current State of Alaska
Schools":
? Structural damage, mold, failing heating systems.
? Unsafe learning environments.
? Impact on student health and academic performance.
Dr. Parady exclaimed that the maintenance issues made
teacher recruitment and retention challenging. She noted
that the conditions were not conducive to learning. The
picture on the slide showed the attic of the school in
McGrath; a tarp filled with ice and catching water from a
leaking roof. She related that this was an example of a
maintenance need that was not on the list from DEED but was
impacting students.
Dr. Parady addressed slide 10, "Effects of Deferred
maintenance
Galena School Splitting due to foundation failures -
Galena School District
Elevator out of service since 2004 - Kuspuk School
District
Kenny Lake Boilers - Copper River School District
Dr. Parady said that none of the schools pictured were on
the DEED Major Maintenance list.
Dr. Parady discussed slide 11, "Effects of Deferred
maintenance
Bathroom Floor in Nikolai School - Iditarod School
District
Soldotna High School Siding - Kenai School District -
Project 4
Standing water under Chevak
School - Kashunamiut School
District - Project 24
Dr. Parady revealed that two of the schools pictured were
on the DEED Major Maintenance List at number 4 and number
24.
Dr. Parady highlighted slide 12, "Proposed Solutions":
? Increase state capital funding.
? Develop a long-term maintenance strategy.
? Ensure equitable resource distribution.
? Review and update the application process
? Separate lists for REAA districts and
Municipal/Borough districts
Dr. Parady stated that DEED should provide engineer and
architectural support to districts that did not have the
resources to complete the applications. She stressed that
the lack of maintenance on Alaskas school was impacting
every area of the state.
9:57:04 AM
Dr. Parady thanked the committee.
9:57:41 AM
AT EASE
9:59:07 AM
RECONVENED
9:59:41 AM
ROD MORRISON, SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHEAST ISLAND SCHOOL
DISTRICT (via teleconference), discussed the presentation,
"School District Major Maintenance Rod Morrison
Superintendent, Southeast Island School District" (copy on
file).
10:01:52 AM
Mr. Morrison addressed slide 2, "Southeast Island School
District (2577 sq. miles)":
REAA - Rural Education Attendance Area
1. Kasaan School - 1982 (temporary portable modular -
20 yr)
2. Whale Pass School - 1985 (temporary portable
modular - former logging camp community hub - 20 yr)
3. Port Alexander School - 1982 / 1985
4. Thorne Bay School - 1989
5. Naukati School - 2005
6. Coffman Cove School - 2009
7. Hollis School - 2023
Mr. Morrison relayed that all the campuses in the district
had greenhouses that grew food for lunch programs and local
food banks.
Mr. Morrison discussed slide 3, "THORNE BAY SCHOOL
UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK REPLACEMENTS:"
CIP: Major Maintenance application submitted
for 18 years.
th
FY26 rank: 75
Requested in 2008: $152,686
Sediment from degrading tank and pipes clogged
safety devices and flooded Thorne Bay Gym Boiler
2 and boiler room with over 150 gallons of
diesel.
Diesel completely filled boiler combustion
chamber and ran out front boiler door. Had this
ignited, it could have destroyed the building and
harmed the patrons in it (October 9, 2024)
The tank and or lines have clearly failed.
Amount Requested: $1,182,737
10:04:54 AM
Mr. Morrison pointed to slide 4, "Thorne Bay K-12 Fire
Suppression":
CIP: Major Maintenance application submitted for 17
years.
FY26 rank: 38
Requested in 2009: $1,014,255
THORNE BAY K-12 SCHOOL FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
REPLACEMENT
Gym System completely inoperable since March 12, 2024
During a gym light replacement project, we found
multiple lights that almost caught fire without the
fire suppression system working.
Fire system is beyond repair, and they no longer make
parts to fix it.
Amount Requested: $1,375,904
Mr. Morrison presented a light bulb from the gymnasium that
had nearly caught fire. The fire suppression system had
been inoperable. Replacement of the lights was expected to
be $29,0000.
Mr. Morrison pointed to slide 5, "Thorne Bay K-12 School
HVAC Mechanical Control":
CIP: Major Maintenance application submitted for 18
years.
FY26 rank: 22
Requested in 2011: $877,083
This project will replace the failing 35-year-old
pneumatic HVAC controls at the school with modern DDC
control system for greater reliability and energy
efficiency.
Water main leak. Parts to fix it were discontinued 15
years ago.
Amount Requested: $1,496,950
10:07:10 AM
Mr. Morrison discussed slide 6, "SISD HVAC Mechanical
Controls":
FY 2008-2025: THORNE BAY K-12 SCHOOL MECHANICAL
CONTROL UPGRADES
HVAC System failure - 36 yrs old, the F1 Supply Fan
for Secondary Wing was completely destroyed when it
wore out. (Installed June 24, 1988, inoperable on July
29, 2024)
Mr. Morrison noted that he had never seen a fan in such
deplorable condition.
Mr. Morrison addressed slide 7, "SISD Thorne Bay School -
Boiler Room":
FY 2008-2025: THORNE BAY K-12 SCHOOL MECHANICAL
CONTROL UPGRADES
Burst water fitting, only caught by happenstance.
Flooded boiler room to school and boiler electrical
was underwater. Clogged floor drains from pipe
degradation and scaling.
Mr. Morrison said that during a walk through in December
2024 the boiler room had been flooded. He said that
outdated equipment made regular maintenance challenging.
Mr. Morrison spoke to slide 8, "Barry Craig Stewart Kasaan
K-12 and Whale Pass K-12 School Renovation":
Capital Improvement Project: Major Maintenance
application submitted for 18 years.
FY26 rank: 26
Requested in 2008: $558,615
Furnace deteriorated to the point that flame burned
through burn chamber at the Kasaan School.
Multiple school furnace failures
Amount Requested: $1,496,950
Mr. Morrison pointed to slide 9, "Thorne Bay K-12 School
Campus Roof Replacement":
CIP: Major Maintenance application submitted for 14
years.
FY26 rank: 81
Requested in 2014: $228,406
The roofing at the school and gym buildings has
reached the end of its life span and is leaking.
The roof leaks in several areas.
We often have to put garbage cans in classroom to
catch the water. This is a major roof problem that
recently flooded the concession stand and the room.
This leak was discovered on a weekend.
Amount Requested: $4,020,847
Mr. Morrison looked at slide 10, "Port Alexander K-12
School Upgrades":
Capital Improvement Project: Major Maintenance
application submitted for 18 years.
FY26 rank: 60
Requested in 2008: $110,152
PORT ALEXANDER K-12 SCHOOL DOMESTIC WATER SYSTEM PIPE
REPLACEMENT
Laundry Room floor has rotted out and has been
repaired several times. As a result, multiple
widespread plumbing leaks have occurred inside the
insulated floor structure, soaking main beams, and
causing structural integrity issues. (June 7, 2024,
and more October 10, 2024)
Mr. Morrison shared that the replacement of two doors at
the school had cost $50,000 in general fund dollars.
Mr. Morrison displayed slide 11, "All of our schools also
serve the communities as gathering spots and emergency
shelters." He said that parents in his communities had
pulled their children out of school citing safety hazards.
He related that in their current budget there was no
funding for activity travel, school counselors, CTE
teachers, and one principal oversaw eight different sites.
10:12:20 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman thanked Mr. Morrison for the presentation.
He lamented that there was no representative from DEED
present at the meeting to take questions from the committee
on the conditions of the schools. He said that the
conditions in Mr. Morrisons district mirrored conditions
in many rural areas of the state.
10:13:09 AM
Co-Chair Stedman spoke of previous funding for playground
fencing at Jack Egnaty School. He asked whether the fencing
was still functional.
10:13:34 AM
Mr. Morrison replied that the fencing was still functional
was regularly maintained. He added that several other
schools did not have playgrounds or gymnasiums.
10:14:06 AM
Co-Chair Stedman appreciated the response.
10:14:30 AM
Mr. Morrison argued that the CIP application was near
impossible for smaller schools to complete. He said that
his district could not afford to hire professionals to help
complete the application. He contended that the CIP system
was broken.
10:15:18 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman thought that the Capital Budget chairs in
both bodies could request that the administration
streamline and revamp the CIP application system before
January 2026.
10:15:49 AM
Mr. Morrison shared the successes of his school district.
He noted that the attendance rate in this district was the
third highest in the state. He shared that the students
worked hard, and that staff retention and hiring had been
successful in the recent school year. He relayed that eight
new CTE classes had been added to the curriculum without
adding to the budget.
10:18:03 AM
AT EASE
10:19:18 AM
RECONVENED
10:19:52 AM
JIM ANDERSON, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ANCHORAGE SCHOOL
DISTRICT, discussed, "School District Major Maintenance Jim
Anderson, Anchorage School District" (copy on file).
Mr. Anderson looked at slide 2, "Anchorage School District
-by the numbers":
42,638 students
7.8 Million Sq. Ft. of facilities
84 school facilities + 6 support facilities Avg Age:
39 years 42 percent are greater than 50 years old
10:20:55 AM
Mr. Anderson addressed slide 3, "Ongoing Challenges:
Deferred maintenance The slide showed that State Bond
Debt Reimbursement had ended in 2015, resulting in an
increase in the facility maintenance backlog as the total
bond debt funding decreased. He said that putting the 3
percent annual maintenance and operations costs of the
replacement value of facilities into building maintenance
would have significantly reduced current problems. He
expounded on the challenges of keeping up with Best
Practices and maintaining facilities.
Mr. Anderson discussed slide 4, "Prioritizing
Infrastructure Requirements
Life Safety & Emergencies
Security Vestibules
Roof & protection of structure
Heat plant
Intercom/fire
Detection/security
Building Deterioration
Structural/seismic
Facility Condition Improvements
Condition and expected life of systems
Systems that are high demand for frequent corrective
maintenance
Educational Improvements
Address missing educational spaces
Address deficient educational spaces
Cost Savings
Energy savings
Reduce/eliminate costs for outdated systems
10:25:35 AM
Mr. Anderson highlighted slide 5, "FY26 Major Maintenance
Project List The slide listed 8 of the Anchorage district
projects in the top 25 on the states Major Maintenance
Project List.
Mr. Anderson discussed slide 6, "Component Life Cycle
Replacement":
? Roofs (3 Roofs per year to maintain) = Avg. of $15
Million/Year
? Boilers (Avg. 3 Boilers/School, or replace 9
Boilers/year) = Avg. of $10 Million/Year
? Flooring/Carpeting (3 Schools/year to maintain) =
Avg. of $6 Million/Year
? Lighting and Energy Efficiency Requires up-front
funding but reduces long-term costs. Frequently this
item is low on priority but high in long-term savings
Mr. Anderson pointed to slide 7, "Facility Condition
Impacts Education The slide contained photos of depicting
deterioration and maintenance issues in several schools.
10:28:26 AM
Mr. Anderson thanked the committee and offered to answer
questions.
Co-Chair Hoffman discussed housekeeping.
ADJOURNMENT
10:29:17 AM
The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 031425 DEED FY26 School Construction and Major Maintenance Final Lists.pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 031425 MEHS Deferred Maintenance Projects Status (08-2024).pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 031425 DEED Final SB237 Report 2025.pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
SB 237 |
| 031425 (S) Finance DEED Major Maintenance for School Facilities Presentation (03-14-25).pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 031425 ASD Major Maintenance slides-3.14.25 _.pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 031425 ACSA Major Maintenance - Dr.Parady 3.14.25_.pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |
|
| 2025 SISD Major Maintenance -3.14.25.pdf |
SFIN 3/14/2025 9:00:00 AM |