Finance Board Reviews

 Proposed School Projects

By Jan Howard

The Board of Finance has requested the Board of Education to submit additional information regarding its proposal for a future high school academy.

The request came about September 8 during the finance board’s review of the school board’s proposals for the town’s five-year capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2004–05 to 2008–09.

Included in the Board of Education’s submission for consideration for the five-year plan was a Newtown High School Academy, either new construction or a renovation of an existing building at Fairfield Hills, to house 500 students. The request, which had no estimated cost included, was submitted for consideration in the 2006–07 fiscal year.

Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze said that serious choices have to be made regarding capital improvements, and in regard to the high school academy, he noted, “Not to know much about it, to me that’s a concern. It’s something we have to get a better grasp on.” He said it was “unnerving” that there is no cost figure for the proposed school.

Ron Bienkowski, the school system’s director of business, said he was hesitant to put a number on it at this time since that number could change.

The Board of Finance, however, requested that Mr Bienkowski determine the costs of constructing a new school building. Costs can be determined through a formula for square footage costs for a 500-student facility, Mr Bienkowski said. That formula would give an approximation of construction costs in addition to soft costs, such as architectural fees, furnishings, and other costs.

“We can see what current high schools are going for,” he said.

Mr Bienkowski said the town would receive about 35 percent of the cost from the state for the school, whether it is new construction or renovation of an existing building. He noted that funds for a feasibility study for Kent House would be included in the school system’s 2004–05 fiscal year budget. The study “can be done relatively inexpensively,” he said.

Renovation costs are unpredictable, Mr Bienkowski said. He said he would need an understanding of the building in order to have an idea as to what it would cost for renovation, and whether it would be less expensive to build a new facility or renovate an existing one.

Once the Fairfield Hills campus is owned by the town, the feasibility study would take about two months to complete in the spring, Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff said. “We don’t want to spend money on a feasibility study if we don’t own the building,” he noted.

Included in the school system’s request for the capital improvement plan for 2004–05 are $290,000 for heating and ventilating at Hawley School, $4 million for heating and ventilating at Head O’ Meadow, and $208,000 for repairs to the high school auditorium, for a total of $4,498,000.

The town’s capital improvement plan requests for 2004–05 include $2 million for capital road project, $225,000 for revaluation; $200,000 for the Sandy Hook Center Streetscape Project, $385,000 for a pumper truck, $250,000 for a grader replacement, $200,000 for a Parks and Recreation maintenance facility; and $1 million for Commerce Technology Park, for a total of $4,260,000. The 2004–05 proposals for the town and Board of Education total $8,758,000.

In other business, the Board of Finance members discussed with Mr Bienkowski a proposal for Middle Gate Elementary School to be connected to the United Water system at a projected cost of $500,000.

The water system at the school has experienced several coliform bacteria issues and treatment systems for uranium and radon have been installed.

“For the past three years, there have been water quality issues there,” Mr Bienkowski said. “We can count on those continuing.”

As requested, Mr Bienkowski turned in comparisons of the cost of providing bottled water and chlorinating the existing system in addition to other costs with connection to the town water system.

Mr Bienkowski explained that the school system is second on a list of 16 projects being considered by the state’s Bonding Commission, which will meet this month. If the bonding is approved, it would provide for a two percent, low-interest-rate loan for 20 years. Bonding of $500,000 would amount to a cost of $35,500 for the first year and decreasing thereafter.

Estimated costs for the current system for operating, remediation, and emergency costs would be $27,832 a year, according to information Mr Bienkowski provided. Additional costs that would need to be factored into that would include replacement of buried 5,000- and 10,000-gallon water storage tanks that are 39 years old at a cost of $45,000 to $55,000 and drilling of another well, a state requirement, to provide water without radon or uranium at a cost of $10,000 to $15,000.

Dominick Posca, director of buildings and grounds for the school system, said that if the school taps into the town water system, all the pumps and wells would be sealed off.

Mr Bienkowski said the current system would not be eligible for financial help from the state.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal explained that the town is currently seeking bids from water companies for a water supply system regarding the Fairfield Hills purchase, and that the school’s connection to that system might be less costly.

The Board of Finance tabled the proposal until its next meeting.