Huntington High School's
Capital Needs Outlined
Huntington High School doesn't get much rest. The school is heavily utilized from early morning to late at night and on most weekends, too. The building is now more than 50 years old and like most such structures it will need some work to keep it in good shape.
A prioritized list of projects and their estimated cost is included in the Huntington School District's most recent five-year "facility estimated expenses form," which outlines the work needed at the high school.
Last spring district voters approved $815,000 worth of projects at Huntington High School, including renovation of two chemistry labs ($480,000), replacement of the original clock system ($200,000), installation of a new public address system ($100,000) and replacement of the school's electronic security system ($35,000).
Possible future projects include the second phase of renovations to the high school's roadway, parking field, sidewalks, drainage system and parking field lighting ($947,000), renovation of the girls' locker room ($240,000), replacement of the library's exterior wall ($300,000), installation of new doors and interior hardware in the corrective gymnasium-wrestling room ($50,000), replacement of asbestos flooring ($1,348,000), repointing of the chimney ($12,500), replacement of existing roof fans ($40,000), replacement of a section of the roof ($120,000), upgrades to the electrical system ($150,000), repairs to the exterior stairs and landing ($35,000), replacement of the library air conditioning ($75,000), upgrades to lighting in the auditorium and boiler room ($75,000) and ventilation system improvements ($75,000).
The district's architect has affixed an estimated price tag to each project, but competitive bidding could result in lower actual costs. Huntington has been making improvements to each of its eight buildings for many years, utilizing existing budget monies through a capital reserve fund authorized by voters. This practice has helped avoid the need for borrowing and for the accompanying interest expenses.