(a) There is established within the Office of the Governor, the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance. The Bureau shall acquire, establish, operate, develop, repair, maintain, renovate, improve, upgrade, inspect, modernize, manage, and construct all public educational facilities, including, schools, educational centers, facilities, and other structures that will be used for or occupied by students, faculty, staff, and administration under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Department of Education or its successor department or agency. The mandate of the Bureau is to create affordable, sustainable, and energy-efficient public schools, buildings, facilities, and grounds throughout the Territory for a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for learning and administration.
(b) The Bureau is responsible for:(1) Identification, planning, development, budgeting, and execution of projects associated with the maintenance, repairs, and construction of all public educational facilities and grounds;(2) Acquisition of property for the construction of schools and determining which schools will no longer be used as schools in conjunction with the Commissioner of the Department of Education and the Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement;(3) Construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings, to include maintaining the structural integrity of the buildings;(4) Preventative and emergency maintenance and repair for the daily operations of public educational facilities and grounds, but preventive, emergency repair or repair for the daily operations of the school which require school closures must be conducted in consultation with the Commissioner of Education;(5) Equipment and fixtures permanently affixed to buildings to include energy management systems;(6) Improvements to the buildings to meet new health and safety requirements, reduce environment risks, and improve energy efficiency;(7) Improvements to buildings to meet changes in educational, technological, and social needs; and(8) The development of Master School Construction, Maintenance and Capital Plan.
(1) Identification, planning, development, budgeting, and execution of projects associated with the maintenance, repairs, and construction of all public educational facilities and grounds;
(2) Acquisition of property for the construction of schools and determining which schools will no longer be used as schools in conjunction with the Commissioner of the Department of Education and the Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement;
(3) Construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings, to include maintaining the structural integrity of the buildings;
(4) Preventative and emergency maintenance and repair for the daily operations of public educational facilities and grounds, but preventive, emergency repair or repair for the daily operations of the school which require school closures must be conducted in consultation with the Commissioner of Education;
(5) Equipment and fixtures permanently affixed to buildings to include energy management systems;
(6) Improvements to the buildings to meet new health and safety requirements, reduce environment risks, and improve energy efficiency;
(7) Improvements to buildings to meet changes in educational, technological, and social needs; and
(8) The development of Master School Construction, Maintenance and Capital Plan.
(c) The Bureau may not issue negotiable bonds or notes or other instruments of debt, unless otherwise specifically authorized by law.