Date: Fri 13-Dec-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

capital-improvement-schools

Full Text:

Proposed Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan For Schools Unveiled

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

Superintendent of Schools John Reed and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Dom

Posca presented the 1997/98 draft version of a five-year capital improvement

plan to the Board of Education December 3.

There were no big surprises, but the bottom line figure showing total

estimated expenditures between 1997 and 2002 was nevertheless a sobering one.

If all the proposed projects are carried out and if the estimates prove

accurate, the plan shows that a total of $2,667,000 over that five-year period

will be needed.

"This is merely a planning document and most of the items were in last year's

plan and the year before," noted Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert

Kuklis.

"Some items have been put off for many years," he added.

The various capital improvements include some new construction, such as the

building of an educational annex at Head O' Meadow School, renovations to

existing but outdated infrastructure in several schools, fire code updates,

roof replacements, repaving of parking lots and funds for the long-anticipated

relocation of the Queen Street administrative offices and remodeling of that

space for conversion into four Middle School classrooms.

Only one more item - upgrading the playing field at the rear of the high

school - was added to a revised version of the five-year list at the board's

December 10 meeting, but it turned out to be an expensive addition, boosting

the total by $500,000.

If approved, that work would be done during year two (1998/99).

"The rear field upgrade was in the original high school project, but then

taken out for budgetary reasons," Dr Kuklis said.

When he introduced the plan December 3, Dr Reed advised board members and the

public at large not to think of the package as "a wish list," but rather as a

"planning document" that pinpoints critical areas where action must be taken

to maintain the town's investment in its public schools.

"If you don't do these things, you're going to be in trouble," Mr Posca said,

echoing Dr Reed's message.

All of the improvements enumerated in the five-year plan are what Mr Posca

considers "must do" action items, such as ceiling and lighting replacements at

Sandy Hook and Middle Gate schools and Department of Environmental Protection

(DEP) mandated work at Head O' Meadow and the Middle School, involving

replacement of the oil tank at Head O' Meadow and handicap and fire code

updates at both schools.

Central Office Relocation

School officials are hoping that a new location will be found for the Board of

Education central office complex that is now located in a small building on

Queen Street adjoining the Middle School.

"Can we get four classrooms out of this?" Dr Reed asked architect Rusty Malek

of Kaestle Boos architectural firm,who was also at the December 3 board

meeting.

The educators and administrators would like to move out of the crowded Queen

Street space, consigning the building for remodeling and use by the Middle

School.

The central office building currently houses not only the superintendent's

office and board meeting room, but the school transportation and pupil

personnel services offices.

The question remains, where will they go?

The possibility of relocating the central office into one of the 48 Fairfield

Hills buildings has been repeatedly posed, but board members noted that they

hadn't been able to get a firm answer from First Selectman Robert Cascella as

to whether or not that would be possible.

As another option, the schools' Space Needs Committee is looking into short

and long-term leasing of commercial space.

Sandy Hook and Middle Gate

Ceiling and lighting replacements costing $65,000 are scheduled for Sandy Hook

School in year three (1999/2000).

At Middle Gate School, ceiling and lighting replacements are slated for year

four (2000/2001) and will cost $58,000. Replacement of the original roof at

Middle Gate (built in 1964) is slated to be done during year three (1999/2000)

at a cost of $385,000.

No Capital Improvements are scheduled for Hawley School because there is

currently a $4 million addition and renovation project currently underway that

has addressed immediate needs and includes code updates throughout the

existing building.

Head O' Meadow

Administrators say a total of $780,000 must be spent at Head O' Meadow

Elementary School over the next five years.

During year one (1997/1998), the oil tank must be replaced in response to a

DEP mandate. That project will cost $50,000.

During year two (1998/1999), code updates must be made throughout the school

in response to fire marshal requirements including ADA compliance and

sprinkler systems at a cost of $400,000. During the same year, the parking lot

is scheduled for repaving at a cost of $80,000.

During year three (1999/2000), an educational annex will be constructed at an

estimated cost of $250,000.

Middle School

The administrators say the Middle School is another facility where a major

amount of money - estimated at $829,000 - must be spent over the next five

years.

The biggest project there would be the conversion during year two (1998/1999)

of the administrative offices to classrooms, estimated to cost $350,000. That

same year, there would be a mandated fire code update costing $200,000 and

refurbishing of auditorium seating and lighting, costing $25,000.

Other improvements to the Middle School would be: year one (1997/1998), the

continuation of vinyl siding on all existing trim, completion of the door

project in the C-Wing and the sewer tie-in; year three (1999/2000), expansion

of the parking area costing $80,000; year four (2000/2001), replacement of

bleachers in the A-Wing gym at a cost of $60,000. No improvements are

scheduled for year five.

Other Projects

With the exception of the $500,000 upgrading of the rear playing field

scheduled for year two (1998/99), there are no improvements planned for the

high school building itself where a $25 million interior renovation and

classroom addition project is now underway.

However, a possible add-on that didn't appear in this year's capital

improvement plan was suggested - replacement of the ventilation units over the

gymnasium.

Architect Rusty Malek said there is $15,000 in the current construction budget

to use toward repair of the ventilation system, but he asked the board whether

the units are, in fact, too old.

"Are they worth repairing?" asked Mr Malek.

In his opinion, the units should be replaced.

Board members wanted to know why Mr Malek hadn't included replacement costs in

the original project estimates.

"We were over budget and had to pare back somewhere," Mr Malek told them.

The board concluded that it might need to go to the Legislative Council for

permission to add this item, under discretionary accounts not originally

budgeted.

A final project that was included in the five-year capital plan, was a $50,000

work and storage facility under the category building and grounds, that is

being proposed during year four (2000/2001).