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12-07-2006 By CASEY CAMPBELL Staff Writer The revised project represents an increase of nearly $2 million in cost and expanded scope compared to a draft of the project examined this summer. That project would have cost approximately $5.2 million, but did not include $1.2 million to renovate the science labs at the middle/high school or $425,000 to replace Kid City. The school board approved moving forward with a "working outline" of a capital project during a work session meeting Wed., Nov. 29. A tentative timeline schedules a referendum on the $7.17 million proposal for March 14, 2007. The project includes work costing $3,265,300 at the middle/high school, $2,830,500 at the elementary school and $724,400 at the bus garage. Including a five percent bid climate adjustment expense of $352,460, the project totals $7,172,660. Major work at the middle/high school includes renovating the science labs, upgrading the air-handling, ventilation, exhaust and relief systems ($505,300), renovating the locker rooms for Americans With Disability act compliance ($449,000), replacing the HVAC control system ($312,500), replacement of windows ($231,300) and improvements to the kitchen and serving area ($125,000). At the elementary school, the major expenses include replacement of the old pumps and heating system ($1.2 million), demolition of current Kid City facility and replacement playground ($425,000), upgrades to the original boilers in the 1954 and 1969 wings ($225,900), upgrades to the air handling and ventilation equipment ($220,700) and installation of a 2-stop elevator required for ADA compliance ($210,000). According to an estimated debt service statement provided by the school, once interest is added, the project will cost more than $10 million over a 15-year period. The local share of that cost will be approximately $3 million, with state aid expected to cover the rest. CCS business manager Jim Collison said at the work session that the project would have a 2.2 percent impact on the tax levy throughout the 15-year life of the project. The school board began the work session with a project costing $7.4 million, but revised figures for the science lab renovations and a reduction in work done to replace exterior doors of the middle/high school provided by project engineer John Knudson resulted in cuts of $304,000. After some discussion about Kid City facilities with building and grounds supervisor Walter Bennett, the board decided to go with rubber matting for the playground surface, instead of wood chips which added $75,000 to the total cost. Bennett said wood chips cost less initially than the rubber matting, but require daily maintenance in order to maintain the required depth of chips. He said wood chips would also be a liability during the summer months, when tourists use the facility. "Everybody that comes to Cooperstown uses the playground," he said. High school science teacher Thomas Good talked about the need for the science lab renovations. He said that while he has made due with the outdated facilities, whoever replaces him when he retires soon will not find the science rooms adequate. "Things have changed and the rooms are really not conducive to doing what we need to do," he said. The field of science has changed more in the last 40 years than any other field he said, and things he once did in the current labs would be illegal by today’s standards, he said. High school principal Gary Kuch said that when touring comparable schools in the area, they saw science labs that were far superior to the CCS facilities. "It’s sad to see what our children don’t have," he said. After a straw poll in which the five members present gave their assent to the $7.17 million project, the floor was opened to members of the public. Steve Mahlum said that overall the board "was making good decisions on what has to be done," but questioned why the costs associated with the project seemed so bloated compared to what private citizens pay when building or renovating a home. He cited the fact that renovations to the locker rooms were expected to cost nearly $500,000, well over the cost to build a new home. "I could build one hell of a house for half a million dollars and all we’re doing is renovating locker rooms," he said. School board president Anthony Scalici said there are layers of costs associated with public projects like this that did not exist in the residential world. He said the board sympathized with Mahlum’s view that the costs seemed high. "We share the same big-eyed wonder," he said. Knudson said engineers working on schools and public facilities had a "different set of rules" to follow when renovating a site. They have to follow stricter guidelines when it comes to removing floor tiles or windows for example, he said, in order to prevent asbestos problems. He said the cost of labor is also higher, as state law requires all workers on projects of this nature to be paid union wages, regardless of their affiliation with unions. Rick Hulse asked the board to clarify the many questions that still existed with the financial aspects of the project and to take a look at reducing spending to offset the cost of the project. Jim Brophy of Toddsville said the board should not have procrastinated so long in preparing a revised capital project, after a $20 million project was rejected by voters last December by a wide margin. "I wish you had come back last spring with a project," he said. He said some items in this project should also be included in the district’s $15 million operating budget and that the project should not be presented as one large project but in several smaller projects. After the work session, the Concerned Citizens said in a prepared statement that they were concerned about the growth in the project from $5 million to more than $7 million. "District residents need to feel that the board can honestly state to district residents that we really need to spend this amount. Our enrollment has declined over 20 percent while school taxes have skyrocketed. Further, despite assurances to the contrary, huge amounts of excess tax money have been accumulated in the general fund," the statement read. The Concerned Citizens’ statement suggested the board propose a plan to fully or partially offset the cost of any needed capital projects with reductions in district expenses and that budgeting and expense forecasts be improved. The board was scheduled to discuss the capital project again during a work session Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. after press time. Scalici said the work session’s purpose was to walk back through the project with the full board and ensure it was what was needed. He said they would also discuss the idea of breaking the project up into smaller proposals. In order to adhere to a timeline in which the project goes before voters in the spring, Scalici said the board would look to finalize the proposed project by its monthly meeting Dec. 13. |
Copyright 2007, Cooperstown Crier, Cooperstown, NY All rights reserved