Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools seeks funds from Orange County every year to pay for costly repairs and maintenance. At Thursday’s school board meeting, school officials talked about making difficult choices with finite funds from the county.

“We know we’re pushing back critical needs further and further. You guys remember we had the heat issue at Estes Hills,” said Assistant Superintendent Todd LoFrese. “We pushed off replacing the boiler 10 years in our plan, and it came back and bit us and we had problems last year at Estes.”

At the meeting, the board approved a capital investment plan that lists major projects, estimated at $15.9 million over the next five years. These costs align with the county’s projected funds for the school district. But the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district may not recieve all the money it wants.

“We’ve had a terrible, terrible last six or seven years,” said School Facilities Director William Mullin. “You’ll remember over the last decade we’ve added three schools, mobile classrooms and additions. We grow and our capital plan is being badly, badly hurt.”

Orange County Commissioners will divide 2015-16 funds between Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in the summer.

Among other projects, in 2015-16 CHCCS officials want a cooling tower replacement, light fixture replacements and classroom upgrades.

CHCCS board members also hope commissioners will put a $125 million bond on the ballot in 2016 to pay for additional expenses. The proposed bond would be the largest in Orange County history and would add an estimated 4.67 cents on the property tax rate.

“We’re making some choices right now in what our priorities are based on the expectation that this is going to happen,” said Board Member Michelle Brownstein on planning for the bond.

The district would like the extra funds to help pay for new buildings and school expansions to meet increases in student enrollment at an estimated cost of $214 million over ten years. The funds would also help pay the estimated $91 million in other maintenance costs over the next ten years.

Related Stories
‹
The Morning News: Rani Dasi, Faith Hedgepeth, and Bobby Petrino
In today's news: Rani Dasi discusses her impending move from the CHCCS school board to the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
Glenwood Elementary School Parents on Their Concerns, the District's Presentation and Local Reaction to Closure – On Air Today (July 27, 2026)
Glenwood Elementary School parents Yehua Wei, Kayan Cheung-Miaw and Alex Jackson speak with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Monday, July 27.
The Morning News: Rani Dasi to County Commissioner, Mandarin Dual Language at CHCCS
In today's news: CHCCS board member Rani Dasi is nominated for an open seat on the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
Glenwood Elementary Parents Urge School Board to Keep Programs Together as Relocation Conversations Begin
The CHCCS school board gathered to hear options for rehousing the acclaimed Mandarin program as Glenwood Elementary School prepares to close.
Patrick Greene Named as Next Principal of Chapel Hill High School
The CHCCS Board of Education has confirmed the appointment of Patrick Greene as the next principal of Chapel Hill High School.
Local Officials React To Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford's Death
Jamezetta Bedford — a longtime elected official in Orange County — died on Sunday. Here's what local officials had to say following the news.
'We're in Crisis': CHCCS Board of Education Approves Plan to Limit Classroom Screen Time
When it comes to screen time, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is trying to have better guardrails in the classroom.
Here’s What You Need to Know Before CHCCS, Orange County High Schools’ 2026 Graduations
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools will celebrate its high school graduates across three days this weekend. 
With Closure Decision Made, CHCCS Leaders and Glenwood Elementary Community Try to Move Forward
Thursday’s vote by the CHCCS Board of Education ended months of speculation of which of three elementary schools may be discontinued.
Here's What CHCCS Board Members Said About Decision to Close Glenwood Elementary
Most CHCCS Board of Education members shared comments about their reasoning for the conclusion and unanimous vote to close Glenwood.
›