The Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance told the Senate committee on Nov. 12 that it is managing dozens of repairs across the territory — roof replacements, restroom modernizations, kitchen upgrades, generator and electrical work — while facing constrained operating funding, contractor payment delays and a shortage of specialized subcontractors.

Executive Director Craig Benjamin said BSCM has prioritized roof repairs and electrical upgrades to stop water intrusion and protect indoor air quality, and that long outages from the power utility have caused repeated AC failures. “With only $3 million appropriated to carry out these responsibilities, the bureau faces significant financial constraints,” Benjamin said, adding that roughly $2.1 million of an appropriation is already committed to standing supply and maintenance contracts.

The American Federation of Teachers president, Leontyne Jones, described classrooms with recurring mold, modular units with poor ventilation, cafeterias with non‑functioning refrigerated storage, and bus fleets in need of replacement — conditions that union representatives said have produced health and safety risks for staff and students.

BSCM and DOE officials detailed a long list of projects, supplied a partial status update for dozens of schools, and said several contracts are encumbered or awaiting payment from the central procurement system. Senators pressed for clearer contract oversight, faster payments to contractors, and a plan to build in‑house maintenance capacity so schools don’t rely indefinitely on external vendors.

Next steps: Senators asked BSCM to provide a line‑item breakdown of current encumbrances, a list of expired contracts and proposed remedies, and a staffing and equipment plan that would shift routine janitorial and grounds tasks back to in‑house teams where feasible.