Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2012)
8 april24 community 2012 New Vernonia School Could Lack Some Facilities continued from front page According to Cox construction Construction Donation Funding Op- as well as an ongoing campaign for $1 and wrestling room presents another is now scheduled to be completed on tions.” He and Donovan intend to use million that targets the timber industry. challenge and carries a $91,000 price June 8, 2012. The District intends to be- this list to target potential donors for the Donovan also says his group is target- tag. Cox says the small gym, which will gin moving into the building during the project. “We’re looking to go find fund- ing requests to key prospects for over have the floor from the existing VHS last week of June and expects to have the ing for these specific items,” says Cox. $6 million. He also says there is almost gym, will be completed as part of the ini- building ready for occupancy on August “It is our intent to finish the big gym and $7 million in state and federal funding tial construction and would be adequate 1. most of the rest of these construction they are still pursuing. “That gives you to host high school sporting events if ab- But that doesn’t mean the build- items beginning July 1 of this year, but a sense of the landscape we are working solutely necessary. . ing will be complete when it opens. that is contingent upon funding.” in to try to bring in the last $3 million,” Other items on the postponed Cox and chief fundraiser John Donovan agrees that he sees this says Donovan. list include: installation of non-mandato- Donovan of Metropolitan Group, along as an opportunity. “They are opportuni- Metropolitan Group was hired ry sidewalks, installation of inside light with the help of project contractors, ties for us to identify areas to focus do- by the VSD to help facilitate fundraising shelves, installation of a final asphalt have developed a list of items, totaling nor’s attention on specific needs and, if and has a four year contract for $780,000 paving lift on the entire parking area, just over $1 million, that would not and purchase and hinder the school district from hold- installation of the ing classes in the fall. In his effort high school science to manage the budget and cash flow, classroom fume Cox has identified several key com- hood. ponents of the construction project Cox and Dono- that could be postponed until addi- van are research- tional funding can be obtained. ing the potential of “We don’t believe these having community are cuts, these are things that are volunteers assist not mandatory in taking occupan- with some of the cy of the building and operating construction proj- the school,” says the Metropolitan ects that need to be Group’s Donovan. completed. “There Among that list of items that are some questions are currently postponed: installation we still have to an- of lockers in the hallways and locker swer before we can rooms, purchase and installation of put out an invitation a sound system and stage curtain, to the community,” Light colored wood paneling surrounds the terra cotta panels in the library of the new Vernonia school. The completion of the large gymnasium says Donovan. artwork was removed from the facade of Washington Grade School and recently installed in the new building. and wrestling room (the building has The removal two gymnasiums—one large and one of the proposed small), purchase and installation of pro- necessary, to work with donors even af- with the district that extends through Vernonia Rural Sustainability Center jector screens and mounts, and purchase ter the school is technically open.” (VRSC) from the scope of the proj- 2013. and installation of solar panels on the Donovan says that the capital Cox says he believes Metro- ect has created some challenges. The roof. campaign committee has pending re- politan Group has been an excellent in- VRSC, initially planned as part of the Cox, ever the optimist, is calling quests of $500,000 to individual major vestment for the VSD. “We certainly campus, was originally budgeted at $3.3 this list of postponed items the “School donors, corporations, and foundations wouldn’t be where we are today with- million and would have housed two sci- out them,” says Cox. “They’ve helped ence labs, the district administration of- us at every step along the way and their fices, shop and drafting class facilities expertise and contacts have been instru- and art class facilities. With the removal of the VRSC from the project, art and mental in moving us forward.” Part of the $37 million that has drafting rooms have been moved into the already been committed to the project new main school building. The Admin- includes a federally subsidized Quality istration office will be located in a house Schools Construction Bond loan for $3.4 the district owns that is on the school million that the VSD obtained as bridge property. Shop classes will continue, al- funding during construction. Right now though they may not have a permanent the VSD has seventeen years to repay home initially. Cox says he is research- this loan at just over $200,000 per year. ing some options for the shop equipment Repayment comes out of the state school that include use of a barn on the home fund the district receives each year, and site where the Admin office will be. Cox notes that changes in the directly affects the VSD operating bud- get. The Vernonia Education Founda- design of the building has driven costs of tion, which has been fundraising for the the project higher as the elements have new school, has reimbursed the VSD changed during planning and construc- for the loan repayment for the last two tion. Cox insists that he believes the years. Donovan says he hopes to pay off that loan eventually through his ad- funding can be found to complete the project and finish the school in the near ditional fundraising. In addition, the $37 million dol- future. He also says he believes the VSD lars raised so far includes $4 million could see additional revenue in the fu- that the state of Oregon recently made ture which could be used to expand fa- available to the Vernonia School project. cilities. An increase in student enroll- Those funds are still in the process of be- ment would lead to increased funding ing transferred to the project, and Cox is from the state. Substantial savings in still unsure how that money will arrive. operations once the building is open, He says right now it appears it will be a because of green technologies that have grant that will be added to the $11.2 mil- been included in the building design and lion in FEMA funds the VSD received construction, will also benefit the annual from the buyout of the current school budget. “There are a lot of things that could happen here,” says Cox. site. Cox remains firm in his belief The list of projects that have been postponed until July, or that will that the VSD has embarked on a great be “phased in” as Donovan likes to say, project that will be a benefit to the could be disconcerting to the Vernonia community for many years to come. “I community. Cox says the lockers have strongly believe we are building a high already been purchased and are on site. quality building that will still be here in He has attached a $21,000 price tag that the year 2100 and it will still look good is needed in funding to have them in- and we will still be proud of it.” stalled. The completion of the large gym
