The Botetourt County School Board unanimously approved the FY 2025-29 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during last week’s regular meeting at the Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) Administration Offices in Fincastle.
The financial department annually presents a balanced five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for consideration to the School Board as part of the budget development process. Projects proposed include a combination of funding from Botetourt County (local funding), use of capital reserve funding, and state and federal grants where available. Projects identified in the CIP address maintenance needs and safety/security issues for facilities throughout the division and are evaluated by BCPS administration staff annually.
The first year of funding is appropriated as part of the upcoming fiscal year budget and remaining years are included for planning purposes. Funding in future years may be adjusted as priorities, project costs, and funding sources are subject to change. Long-term financial planning for maintenance and infrastructure allows for the most efficient use of BCPS facilities. If local funding is not available from Botetourt County, projects proposed will be postponed until funding can be made available or the project scope will be reevaluated.
The proposed plan conforms to the Strategic Plan adopted by the School Board for 2022-2027, specifically the commitment to Every Learning Environment. It helps lay the groundwork for an investment in BCPS technology, infrastructure, and facilities that prepares for the future. This plan also incorporates recommendations from the safety and security evaluation performed in 2023.
“The evolution of this document is improving with time,” Valley District representative Tim Davidick said. “In certain years we’re worried about security; in other years we’re worried about health. All of that has something to with our facilities. I’m very happy to see that we’re getting more attention brought to (the improvement plan).”
The CIP requests revised in October total $39,250,000 in expenditures across FY 2025-2029.
BCPS also released the year-end financial results at the regular meeting. The school division saw a surplus of over $2 million from their allotted $60,230,904 for FY 2023. Financial Director Brandon Lee pointed out that a $2,006,878 School Construction Grant awarded to the division, with a little over $1.8 million left over at year’s end, is what helped generate the surplus. Lee stated that the division is “pretty close” to where the division needs to be in terms of what BCPS budgeted for the year.
To review this year’s CIP and year-end financial results, visit the December meeting’s agenda packet at https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/bcps/Board.nsf/Public.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
