Design Group Collaborative submitted cost estimates to go with the Boothbay Region High School existing conditions report, Community School District trustees learned June 1. DGC was hired as a third party investigator to compare with reports from Lavallee Brensinger Architects, the firm working on the campus development project. DGC's Boothbay Region Elementary School and Boothbay Regional High School existing conditions reports were submitted before cost analyses were finished and the CSD received the BRES costs two weeks ago.

Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said BRHS's cost analysis was the last deliverable from DGC and the only steps left to determine more accurate costs are having LBPA and DGC work out the differences in their assessments. The Building Exploratory Committee will review the reports June 22; the two firms and administrators will collaborate in the meantime.

BRHS is still short one custodian and has been since around October, said AOS 98 Director of Facilities Dave Benner. Engaging applicants and getting someone onto the team has been hard in past years, but Benner said he has always hoped to find locals to fill the custodial and maintenance jobs. However, broadening the search to entry-level workers and having AOS 98 Executive Assistant Evelyn Andrews post the job in as many places as possible has yielded few results.

The schools are competing with local organizations like Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, YMCA and Bigelow Laboratory, said Benner. Everyone else can pay more, which seems to have more sway with applicants not interested in benefits packages, he said. The job starts at $16.25 an hour or better depending on experience. Employee contracts are through Boothbay Support Staff Association and the shift runs from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

“I've had two applications in six to eight months and both failed to show up for an interview. There's just nobody out there … Honestly, if someone knocks on the door, I'm going to bring them in and go through the process with fingerprinting and the training. … If you know of anybody at all, I'd love to talk to them.”

Benner said BRES is slated for repaving in front of the school and on the north side before June 30 and the new cafeteria, formerly the music room, will have vinyl plank flooring installed before the end of the school year. Benner said he also obtained new school zone signs with speed readouts for the CSD campus and Southport and Georgetown central schools. Boothbay Harbor Public Works Foreman Nick Upham said his team will do the CSD's installation with materials supplied by the district, said Benner.

Fuel prices will go up from $2.16 to $2.99 a gallon. Benner said he was able to lock in next year's price and top off the tanks with the old price, 2,395 gallons for BRES and 1,495 at BRHS. The last-minute refuel saved the schools about $4,000, he said.

Trustees granted Benner and CSD Director of Security and Transportation Kyle Canada contract extensions through the 2023-2024 school year with 5% raises.