The Ouray School District is eyeing a slate of capital projects to improve safety and prolong the lifespan of the 54-year-old gymnasium, including new school buses and safety systems.

Funding for building repairs and improvements is a challenge for a district as small as Ouray, said School Board President Sandy Kern, because district leaders are working with far less money than bigger districts and thus have less wiggle room.

“A district that rakes in maybe $30 million a year, if they have a roo...