Schaumburg Twp. Dist. 54 to spend $16.4 mil. on upgrades

The Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 board Thursday unanimously approved spending $16.4 million on capital projects at 17 of its schools.

And despite the sizable contract with Siemens Industries Inc., which includes $75,000 in contingency spending in the event of unforeseen conditions, the district remains debt-free, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mohsin Dada said.

“Not only is the district is debt-free, it’ll be fully renovated with the exception of regular maintenance,” he said.

The work — a combination of new heating and air conditioning equipment, hot-water boilers and fire and burglar alarm systems — will be spread out over a four-year period with minimal, if any, disruption to the district’s 14,000 students.

The board already approved similar facility upgrades at the district’s remaining 10 schools about two years ago.

The capital projects funding stems from a $17.9 million bond issue that dates back to December 2009. Mohsin said that loan was paid off with the 2010 tax levy, which eliminated the last of the district’s debt service.

“Unlike many school districts, we never borrow money to pay for operating costs,” Mohsin said. “Things that have a 15-, 20- or 30-year life span is what we sell bonds for.”

The board didn’t spent any time discussing this latest expenditure, other than a member’s comment that the upgrades will help to save money due to their being energy-efficient.

The 17 schools targeted for the capital improvements are: Hale, Hanover, Hoover, Lakeview, Link, Campanelli, Dirksen, Fairview, Frost, Nerge, Addams, Eisenhower, Muir, Stevenson, Blackwell, Enders-Salk and Mead.