A request for improvements to the Old Rochester Regional auditorium and an update on the school’s capital plan at the ORR School Committee meeting show that work has been done but there’s still plenty to go.

On Wednesday, Drama Club Director Paul Sardinha spoke to the committee about the auditorium. While he had many positive things to say about it, he also said it's been 16 years since the room was renovated.

“Our stage needs some work,” Sardinha said.

He said there are wiring issues, outdated lighting that is expensive to power and gets too hot, decrepit fuses, a patched together speaker system and curtains whose fireproofing is out of date.

“We’ve got to talk about fixing this auditorium. It is a gem for our school,” said Sardinha, who said he spends a lot of time in the room helping with recitals and school events beyond the two shows he directs each year.

Sardinha asked the School Committee to consider using some of the money collected for renting the room toward improvements as well as a stipend for his costume designer, Helen Blake. According to Sardinha’s calculations, the school took in $12,500 from recitals last year and stands to collect at least $13,000 this year.

He also presented the School Committee with a wish list and estimates for some of the auditorium’s needs.

Business Administrator Patrick Spencer responded that the rental fees are put into a revolving fund for upkeep and expenses. Plus, many community events at ORR are held free of charge but do incur a cost. Spencer added that the money has been used to update the auditorium, and that the stage curtains are scheduled to be fireproofed next week.

Spencer said he appreciated Sardinha’s suggestions and that it was “good information on what the project costs might be and how we can fund that.”

The business administrator also updated the School Committee on the use of $603,000 appropriated by the towns of Rochester, Mattapoisett and Marion to update the building.

Almost $100,000 of those funds will go towards replacing and adding security cameras around and inside the junior high and high school. Work begins on that next week.

ORR Junior High Principal Kevin Brogioli and High School Principal Mike Devoll said they will be an important addition to the schools.

“Cameras, right now we have one. We have zero visibility outside,” Devoll said, adding that the singular camera points down and is virtually useless.

Once completed, there will be 85 cameras and monitors.

Another security addition, vestibules at the junior high and high school, will not be completed until summer 2017 and 2018, respectively. That’s because it will take more than five days to do the work, which requires some demolition. The vestibules will provide an extra layer of protection against possible intruders.

Spencer said the capital improvements, which also include work on the heating and air conditioning system, the junior high gym and the parking lots, should take two years to complete.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.