Crews for projects at Boothbay Region Elementary School will be delayed until around June 5, Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District trustees learned May 6. Lewis and Malm President Charles Earley said, with current restrictions and economic barriers due to COVID-19, firms for both projects are also dealing with other projects, some out of state.

“Materials (for the doors) will be onsite June 10,” said Earley. “S.J. Wood will (be) starting with removals of entrance doors around June 15 … (and) Haskell and Hall start on June 15 for concrete repairs.”

Director of Transportation and Maintenance Dave Benner said the second phase of BRES HVAC replacements is going smoothly and custodial and maintenance crews are handling duties very well in their two-week, on again, off again schedule.

“They’re odd hours and day shifts only,” Benner said. He added, they have to work around Honeywell construction crews.

Benner said both BRES boilers have been working well since the faulty burner was replaced and research on new generators is showing costs between $100,000 and $150,000.

Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Keith Laser said the trustees’ budget is looking good and coming in lower than last year’s. “Facilities and maintenance is down 20%, but a lot of the work is getting done with capital reserve money. And debt service is up 30%.”

Laser said the School Committee has been looking at a budget increase of 1%, 2%, or 3%, depending on cuts. “We’re trying to do as much with end of year money as possible. I feel pretty good about where we’re at at this point.”

Laser added, Lavallee Brensinger Architects continues to look at imprints of classrooms and layouts of the schools to keep momentum going on the visioning process. The firm is figuring out when meetings with the public can resume.

Trustees will meet again via Zoom video conference at 5:15 p.m. June 3.