Abby Whitt
Contributing writer
At its meeting last week, Montgomery County Board of Supervisors re-appropriated about $41.5 million for capital projects at Montgomery County Public Schools.
About $36.9 million was appropriated for school capital encumbrances.
The capital projects included in the $4.5 million are Christiansburg High renovations/additions (about $3.7 million), Operations Center renovations (about $455,000), fuel tanks ($105,000), Auburn Elementary parking lot improvements (about $72,800), window replacement at Montgomery Central and Operations ($47,000), Eastern Montgomery track renovations (about $33,000), flooring renovations (about $34,000), Falling Branch ADA ramp (about $7,000) and others.
Budgeted encumbrances for properties held by MCPS include the following (approximately):
$33 million for Christiansburg High Renovations/Additions
$986,000 for Eastern Montgomery Track Renovations
$829,000 for Auburn Elementary Roof Replacement
$873,000 for Fuel Tanks
$130,500 for Christiansburg Primary Renovations
At Kipps Elementary:
$60,000 for restroom partition replacement
$52,000 for playground equipment replacement
$177,000 for HVAC controls
$43,600 gym floor replacement
$18,000 for fire alarm replacement
Additionally, the board approved a year-end carry over request of $2,318,874 for MCPS. Of that total, $1,745,620 is from state revenues while $452,796 is from local revenues.
Expenditures include administration, attendance and health ($65,000), instruction ($1,149,000), non-instruction ($1,000), student transportation ($115,000), operations and maintenance ($170,000), and school operating ($120,458).
The health care reserve totals $818,874.
Supervisors also received a draft of 2026 legislative priorities during the Aug. 11 meeting that included supporting:
Enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers and dispatchers
Reclassification of broadband as a public utility under state law
Recognizing and encouraging the state’s role in funding public schools, including security measures, staffing needs, raises for educators and more
Local regulation of solar and energy facilities
Ending unfunded mandates to local governments
Strengthening the diversity of local revenues
Improving the I-81 corridor
Continuing support of the Passenger Rail Expansion
