Lexington school projects behind schedule, over budget. What’s being done?
Lexington 1 is changing the scope of an audit into projects stemming from the school district’s 2018 bond referendum, citing concerns about delays, cost increases and other problems with several bond referendum projects.
Those concerns were outlined at an early-morning meeting of the Lexington 1 school board on Thursday, following review by the board’s bond referendum subcommittee.
Board member Nicholas Pizzuti told his fellow board members the committee wanted to highlight the issues for potential auditors to look at, including;
- A new transportation facility, which has ballooned from an initial $3 million to $10 million. “The committee wants to vet protocols for rebidding after significant scope changes,” Pizzuti said.
- The new South Lake Elementary School, which had a near four-year delay from the site purchase at the end of 2019 to the beginning of construction in 2023, during which time the cost rose from an anticipated $37 million to $55 million. “The committee seeks to understand protocols for project execution timelines from land purchase to facility construction” and the impacts of inflation on project costs, with regular updates brought to the board, Pizzuti said.
- The failure of a contingent land purchase for property adjoining the new Lakeside Middle School, “resulting in the school being built on a smaller 35.5-acre lot, requiring additional unexpected site prep and road work,” Pizzuti said. The committee wants to examine procedures for land purchases and site work requirements. “The size of the facility relative to its acreage was also a significant concern,” Pizzuti said.
- Concerns with capacity planning for the new Centerville Elementary School in Gilbert.
- Out of an initial $2 million budget for work on the existing Pelion Middle School building, only $10,000 has been spent, “leaving the project stalled and the fund status unclear,” Pizzuti said. “The committee seeks clarification on the use of these funds and compliance with the original bond referendum’s intent.”
The highlighted projects did eventually reach the finish line. The transportation facility officially opened in the summer of 2023, South Lake Elementary opened in August 2024, Lakeside Middle opened in August 2022, the new Centerville Elementary opened in August 2020.
Pizzuti’s committee recommended, and the school board unanimously approved, putting out an audit request that would specifically look at South Lake, Lakeside, Pelion Middle and the transportation facility. The board held a specially called meeting on the matter, Chairwoman Kathy Henson said, because the next scheduled board meeting isn’t until Aug. 19, and the board wanted more time for the district to receive audit proposals.
Thursday’s move amends an earlier audit motion the board passed March 25. The period for submissions closes in September.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM.
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