Polk County Education/News
14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 2, 2017
Whitworth upgrade more than seismic
Work at the school includes technology, fire alarm system update
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Whitworth El-
ementary School’s summer
seismic upgrade project is
beginning to feel like a full-
scale overhaul for district
maintenance officials.
Before work began, Whit-
worth had been the school
in the most danger of col-
lapse in an earthquake. After
this summer, it will be the
stoutest building in the dis-
trict.
The $2.2 million, grant-
funded project takes out
some windows and replaces
them with walls to prevent
buckling, and other struc-
tural improvements to in-
crease stability and prevent
earthquake damage.
“It makes everything in
this building not be able to
twist or rotate,” said Seth Ar-
nesen, who is the site man-
ager for the district on the
project.
Evidence of the structural
improvements will be
buried in the floors and
walls of the school once
summer ends, but the dis-
trict is taking advantage of
workers already being in the
building to do other repairs
discovered along the way.
Contractors have found
evidence of a past fire and a
fire alarm system sorely in
need of replacements.
They’ve faced challenges on
how to run data cables
throughout the building
without resorting to expen-
sive options, such as hiding
them within the walls.
Fixing those issues will
cost money — $347,181
through change orders and
upgrades — but are now
viewed as an opportunity to
get necessary work done at a
lower cost.
Kevin Montague, the dis-
trict’s facilities director, said
when crews opened the
walls, they found the
school’s aging fire alarm sys-
tem wasn’t set up properly
and needed to be fixed.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
A construction crew member works in a Whitworth Elementary classroom on Monday.
“With the work that it re-
quired to put the old system
back to operable condition,
it really didn’t make a lot of
sense to spend that much
and still have a system that
is an antiquated system,”
Montague said.
With much of the build-
ing already being worked
on, the district asked for
bids to replace the system.
The contractor already
working on the project pro-
vided the lowest estimate,
$86,036, reducing the cost
by timing the improvements
with seismic upgrades.
“This will bring us up to
current code compliance
with our fire system, which
has been on our bond list for
a long time. That’s a system
that is antiquated and need-
ed replacement. It didn’t
make sense to do it until we
got in and started cutting
wires.”
Montague said the next
issue was the ceiling. The
plan was to attach new ceil-
ing tile to the ceiling panels
installed in the remodel, but
that created another prob-
lem.
“That lead to a challenge
we’ve had in that building
all along is that we have no
accessible routes for data
wiring and additional things
that we may need to do
throughout time,” Mon-
tague said.
His solution was to install
“drop ceilings” to allow
space between ceiling tiles
and panel for water lines
and data cables to easily run
throughout the school. In-
stalling the ceilings, includ-
ing all-new LED lighting, in
the classrooms and hallways
will cost $188,145. Part of
that total will be credited
back to the district through
energy incentives, about 55
percent of the cost of put-
ting in the new lights.
“We are going to benefit
from this change, essen-
tially forever,” Montague
said. “Whenever we need
to run a new data line or
change a configuration, we
now have pathways.”
Montague said before the
new ceilings are installed, it
seemed the right time to use
those pathways for yet an-
other needed project: re-
placing old data cables.
Running new cable
throughout the school
would move the Whitworth
from early 2000s technology
to modern capability. The
school probably won’t need
updates for 10 years, accord-
ing to the district’s tech de-
partment.
The project cost is
$73,000.
Dallas School Board
members approved the
change orders to the seismic
projects, totaling $274,181,
and the technology update
on Thursday.
With new ceilings, LED
lighting and new walls
throughout the building,
Whitworth will emerge from
the summer with a modern
look, Arnesen said.
“This will be our best-
looking school,” he said.
Indy is an ‘inclusive city’
By Stephanie Blair
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — The
Independence City Council
passed a resolution on July
25, declaring Independ-
ence an inclusive city.
The meeting was highly
attended, with citizens
ranging in age, race and
profession. Some came to
the podium to voice their
opinions. Of the 11 citizens
who spoke before the
council, not one opposed
the resolution.
Among the speakers was
an undocumented immi-
grant who came to America
to seek medical treatment.
“I am undocumented. I
have no documentation
and, even though this com-
munity is great, it’s always
in the back of my head, the
boogie man is always there,
because who knows who
might betray me and send
me back?” said Juan Navar-
ro. “I am a person that
loves to help the communi-
ty. I love it so much, and
I’m blessed to graduate
from Western, and I’m
blessed to be the first one
in my family to attend a
master’s program this fall,
but, like I said, I am not
safe. I know I’m safe here
(in Independence) but it’s
not always the same.”
After the testimonies of
the various citizens, the
council had a brief discus-
sion amongst themselves.
“As I understand it, this
resolution doesn’t change
anything. We will continue
to be an inclusive city, as
we have been. We will con-
tinue to follow the state
laws and the federal laws.
We’re just stating what
we’re already doing and
will continue to do,” said
Councilor Michael Hicks.
“This describes things
we already do,” agreed
councilor Marilyn Morton.
“The resolution puts kind
of a bow on it and makes it
visible, and makes the
statement: ‘We are part of a
group here, we are part of
the group of people who
live in Independence.’”
The resolution passed
with a unanimous vote. For
more information or to read
the resolution: www.ci.inde-
pendence.or.us.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Lucas Costa graduates from RMA
FRONT ROYAL , Va. — Lucas Costa, of Monmouth, graduated
from Randolph-Macon Academy on May 27, 2017. The ceremo-
ny was held in Melton Memorial Gymnasium in front of friends,
family, faculty, staff, and honored guests.
Lucas was accepted into Babson College, University of
Oregon, United States Air Force Academy, Virginia Tech, and
University of Virginia, and will be attending Virginia Tech this
fall.
Lucas is son of Cinthia Costa Jones, of Monmouth, and
Alexandre D T Costa, of Curitiba, Puerto Rico.
SCHOOL NOTES
WOU announces tuition increase
MONMOUTH — Following a Board of Trustees meeting on
July 26, Western Oregon University released its final decision as
to the amount that tuition will increase for incoming students
beginning this fall.
Oregon residents and students who qualify for the Western
University Exchange will have their tuition raised by 6.5 percent,
while out-of-state residents, international students and gradu-
ate level students will receive a 10 percent increase.
For more information: Lisa Catto, 503-838-8163