Hamilton School District’s new facilities director has his work cut out for him. He faces a district with decades-old, decaying buildings too small to fit their current students.

Some of the schools hold class in storage closets. In another, a weight gym and metal shop share the same space. There are regular problems with leaks, mold, drainage and heating in the schools.

A preliminary estimate of the price to fix the district’s schools totaled out at $134 million over the next five years. The district had gone without a facilities director for more than a year and used cheap “band-aid” fixes for far longer, Superintendent James Parla said. John Miranda, a former state police officer, said he accepted the job as the district’s facilities director with his eyes wide open.

“I couldn’t come into it thinking there are no problems here,” he said.

His appointment did not come without objections. Board Member Patricia DelGiudice said she thought the district needed a supervisor with engineering experience to oversee the extensive work the district needs.

“We have clear issues in our buildings,” DelGiudice said. “We need someone with the right experience. This is a major mistake we’re making.”

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