By Lee Reinsch
Correspondent

DE PERE – A few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and wear and tear.

Over the next decade, buildings in the De Pere school district could need more than $4.85 million in repairs, upgrades and equipment replacement.

What’s certain is buildings and equipment will deteriorate; what’s not so certain is when it’ll happen.

That was the word, in not quite those words, from Pat Meyer, De Pere School District grounds superintendent.

Meyer updated the De Pere school board June 4 on the district’s 10-year capital improvement plan.

The figure of $4.85 million includes improvements or expenditures at all six of the district’s schools.

Some of the projects already underway include: installing security cameras at all district school buildings; finishing up the expansion of the stormwater retention pond and drainage project at Susie C. Altmayer Elementary School; remodeling the Dickinson Elementary School administration area and health room; and adding, repainting and renumbering lockers at De Pere High School.

Some projects were included in the district’s 10-year capital improvement plan, but one that was not included is the security camera installation.

Some 130 security cameras will be installed in buildings district-wide at a cost of $240,000.

Funds for that endeavor come from a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s school safety initiative.

The 10-year plan of improvements tally $1.56 million at De Pere High School; $744,000 at De Pere Middle School; $516,000 at Foxview Intermediate School; $83,000 at Susie C. Altmayer Elementary School; $1.15 million at Dickinson Elementary School; and $343,000 at Heritage Elementary School.

Some of the bigger-ticket expenditures include:

• $100,000 for field improvements, irrigation, dugouts and fencing at Redbird Field baseball field at De Pere High School.

• $75,000 for repairs and recoating the tennis courts at De Pere High School.

• $200,000 over the next five years for carpeting and painting De Pere High School’s library/media center.

• $100,000 to replace flooring in the stairwells at De Pere High School.

• $200,000 over the next five years to phase in new flooring at De Pere Middle School.

• $400,000 for adding air conditioning to the gymnasium at De Pere Middle School.

• $200,000 to replace HVAC controls at Foxview Elementary School.

• $125,000 to add new lockers at Foxview Elementary School (to accommodate the growing enrollment).

• $25,000 to add new lockers at Susie C. Altmayer Elementary School.

• $30,000 for a digital sign at Altmayer Elementary School.

• $35,000 to replace a district-owned three-quarter-ton truck.

• $40,000 to replace a district-owned loader vehicle.

• $48,000 to repaint the De Pere High School track.

• $175,000 for abatement and carpet replacement at Dickinson Elementary School.

• $20,000 to upgrade the baseball diamonds at Heritage Elementary School.

• $20,000 to replace the sinks in the main bathrooms at Heritage Elementary School.

• $38,000 to replace skylights at Dickinson Elementary School.

• $25,000 to replace outside doors and door frames at Dickinson Elementary School.

• $35,000 for a digital sign at Dickinson Elementary School to replace the old sign as well as relocate it.