LS School Committee opens FY26 roof financing debate, weighs $2.6M restoration against $7M replacement

SUDBURY — September 10, 2024 — Lincoln-Sudbury weighs $2.6M roof recoat versus $7M replacement, presses for SRO's return. Director of Finance Kirsteen Patterson opened the FY26 capital cycle Sept. 10 with a single request: a new roof on the 20-year-old, 130,500-square-foot EPDM membrane, financed by district bond rather than a Lincoln-Sudbury cost split. Consultant Ed Sprenkle of Gorman Richardson Lewis estimated $2.63 million for a 20-year-warranty recoating against $6.3 million to $7 million for a full 30-year replacement; Facilities Director Kevin Roussey backed the recoat "100 percent." Superintendent Andrew Stephens told the committee the Sudbury Police Department is down seven officers, forcing SRO Kim Mangano to rotate among buildings and take patrol shifts. Member Kevin Matthews called the gap a town governance failure: "Communication is not what we're missing. Action is what we're missing." Members reached consensus to send a letter to the Select Board and Town Manager and approved an amended meeting calendar 6-0.