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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2010)
Page 12 The INDEPENDENT, March 18, 2010 Banks school board continues discussion of possible bond The primary focus of the Banks school board, at pres- ent, is gathering information in preparation for putting a bond before the public in November. The centerpiece of this effort to date, the Facilities Planning Committee 3 (FPC3), gave their final report at the regular board meeting March 8, where the public was conspicuous by their absence. However, the March 10 meeting of the Blue Ribbon panel assembled by Superintendent Jim Foster was well attended by the invited members of the panel and a smattering of patrons. Board chair and delegate to FPC3 Will Moore’s opening re- marks to the panel of communi- ty members explained the boards commitment to discov- ering what facility improve- ments district property holders are willing to support. He apol- ogized for the short time period that the board is giving the committee for review of the ma- terial; the panel will meet again March 17 to offer their conclu- sions. Moore explained that the board would like to have input from the panel before finalizing questions for a community phone survey scheduled for late March. He concluded by saying that the board would make a final decision about a bond proposal in May. Working from a tightly script- ed two-hour agenda, FPC3 chairman Pete Edison led the panel through a brief overview of the written material furnished to members of the panel before introducing FPC3 member Ron Frame. Frame gave a brief summary of the history and condition of each of the four in- structional buildings currently in use. All four buildings have sig- nificant deficiencies in architec- tural, structural, mechanical and electrical areas, and be- cause of their age, all of the building have poor insulation and need significant seismic renovations. The junior high re- ceived a very poor seismic vul- nerability rating. Accessibility is an issue throughout the high school, which is a series of con- nected buildings with construc- tion dates beginning in the 1920s, and additions in the 1930s, 1959, 1967, 1969 and 1976; it also has inadequate plumbing. Frame told the panel that complete system-by-sys- tem evaluations of each build- ing, with supporting documen- tation, is included in the FPC3 final report. District business manager Simon Levear gave a brief presentation to the panel about the financial impact of a 2010 bond, explaining that the dis- trict’s long term debt had been greatly reduced by refinancing previous bonds in the last two years. Bond interest rates, which are included in repay- ment costs, are the lowest they have been in 25 years accord- ing to Levear. The district cur- rently levies approximately $2/thousand, with all current bonded debt expiring in about five years. Because the district has great flexibility in how long term debt is structured, most of the bonded debt the district would incur by passing a bond in November would not be scheduled for repayment until after other bonds are paid. This allows the district to keep the total amount levied each year to a minimum. Qualified School Construc- tion Bond funds, part of the fed- eral stimulus package, were a significant motivation for the board to start the process. The district must pass a bond and have a “shovel ready” project before the end of 2010. Any government grant or interest savings would reduce the dis- trict’s debt and therefore the amount the district is required to levy. No federal funding is assumed in any of the options offered. The proposed bond amounts begin at approximately the same dollar amount as the pre- vious bond attempt in 2008 with The right tools for spring cleaning MS 250 Chain Saw Reg. $369. 95 Now only $319. 95 SAVE $ 50 option A. However, lower inter- est rates on bonds and lower construction costs make it pos- sible for this $25 million to cov- er more significantly greater im- provements to campus facilities than contemplated in 2008. Op- tion B covers the middle ground while options C1 and C2 are based on a budget of about $35 million with an estimated levy increase of $1.50/thousand. The total estimated levy for all options would remain below $4/thousand. The voter reject- ed 2008 levy would have re- quired a levy amount in excess of $4/thousand. Rick Rainone of Corner- stone Management Group has worked with FPC3 from the be- ginning to “make sure that the scope [what is wanted] is ade- quately budgeted.” He told the panel that his firm has made accurate projections of costs for the fifteen districts they have worked with. He also said that public construction costs are significantly higher than, and not comparable to, private construction costs. Rainone ex- plained that his figures are based on the total amount of new square feet included, plus renovation, replacement and other costs. Improvement of traffic flow at the elementary is included in all options as a part of site improvements. Option A: The basic package includes: Junior High: 17 new class- rooms including science, com- puter and special education rooms, new library, administra- tion and staff areas, new gym, new restrooms and renovation and enlargement of cafeteria/stage and locker rooms = $9.4 million High School: 22 new class- rooms including science, com- puter and special education rooms, new library, administra- tion and staff areas with new commons area. The Voc/Ag building would be renovated, the food service equipment re- placed and the gymnasium bleachers replaced. Site Improvements: Demoli- tion costs for junior high and high school, cost of temporary classrooms (six months be- cause of phased construction), new parking lots and soccer field, upgraded heat systems, new site lighting and minimal renovation of existing instruc- tional buildings. Edison said that a soccer field was included because the program has enjoyed spectacu- lar growth, from it’s inception a year ago fielding a varsity team, to a full roster of JV and varsity, boys and girls teams. Total estimated cost of about $24 million for all of the im- provements cited under option A. Option B includes all of op- tion A plus a new high school kitchen, renovated high school locker rooms, expand junior high gym to full regulation size, auditorium upgrades, new cen- trally located restroom/storage building and significant im- provement to traffic flow at the elementary school for buses, cars and pedestrians. Total es- timated costs for option B is about $27.8 million. 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