MANKATO — The process of keeping buildings standing is a long one, but it’s an important one.
That goes double for Mankato Area Public Schools, whose board heard an update on their 2027-28 Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Plan Monday evening.
The district said during their meeting that next year’s plan shouldn’t see many changes after they adjusted the previous budget due to some significant projects. Supt. Paul Peterson noted that the plan, while it may seem mundane and routine, is critical to keeping the level of education that Mankato prides itself on.
MAPS Director of Business Services Amanda Heilman says that last year, there were new projects the district wanted to undertake. However, looking at the plan for 2027-28, the bill for which will be paid during this school year, Heilman describes it as a “mainstay” sort of year.
“Last year we made changes to the levy. We issued indoor air quality bonds for four projects,” Heilman said, referring to the projects slated for Hoover, Kennedy, Bridges and Eagle Lake elementaries. “We did increase our pay as you go levy to $3,673,000, which grants us some additional flexibility for additional projects that may come up.”
Peterson says he toured Eagle Lake Elementary, which will soon get a new HVAC system. He says it was “disorienting” walking into a building with no roof or lights, but it reminded him of how important the work that was being done is.
“That’s the sort of investment that keeps the MAPS schools so strong,” Peterson said. “(It’s) really impressive and this is a big part of that.”
This year, the district will begin paying for that project, the total cost of which is around $37.5 million. However, it doesn’t all have to be paid in one year, with the bill instead stretching out over the course of a few years.
All-in-all, the district is estimating about $4.3 million in costs for renovations.