Minutes of Facilities and Capital Improvement Committee Meeting
December 10, 2007
Present: Don Blenco, Jerry Derrick, Jack Bell, Jim Marean, Ken Goldberg, Brian Horton, Gerald Abbey, Mark Bordeau, John Gage, Cindy Manchester, Christine Miller, Dr. Renee Stalma, Roland Doig, Don Gerlach, Janice Young, Mary Rader, Jim Hull; from Bearsch Compeau Knudson: Mrs. Goff, Mr. Bernhauer, Mr. Costello.
*
Mr. Abbey welcomes those present. Copies of minutes of November 19, 2007 meeting distributed.
*
District debt limit is $49,274,000 but $19,653,000 is available.
*
Mrs. Goff provides "tax impact" figures:
o
Tax impact – annual costs based on August 2007 assessments and equalization: with a project of $6,420,000: $2.33 on a $100,000 home annually; $1.87 on 80,000 home annually
o
With a $10 million project: $10.70 on 100,000 home annually; $8.56 on $100 K home annually
o
With a $15 million project: $27.26 annually on 100 K home; $21.81 annually on 80 K home
o
With a $20 million project: $40.66 annually on 100 K home; $32.52 annually on 80 K home.
*
Mrs. Goff says "building aid exclusion" could increase debt limit substantially. Members would like to see fiscal advisors brought in in January.
*
BCK presents report on potential elementary schools consolidation projects.
*
Mrs. Goff explains NYSED mandates five-year enrollment projection – compare numbers with current building capacities. NYSED assumes capacity of 27 students per classroom. Donnelly has 16 regular classrooms (BK-5) with current enrollment of 343 students. Brookside has 21 rooms and an enrollment of 451. Goff: "we don't have a lot of extra capacity." Total BK-5 classrooms needed: 33 – total current elementary enrollment is 794. Goff: state aid is based on how many students are in a building.
*
Goff presents information on "other space" needed in buildings – including for gymnasium, art rooms, music, computers, cafeteria, library, main office, nurse's office and gives figures for mandatory minimum square feet required for each. Goff explains "cost allowance" – "anything above this is local share (taxes)."
*
ASSUMPTION NUMBER ONE: Put everyone at Donnelly. Required: 35,600 square feet – add 10,700 square feet "circulation factor" = 46,300 square feet addition @ $175.00 per square foot – with all contingency costs = $15,460,000 VERY approximate cost in 2007 dollars.
*
OPTION NUMBER TWO: Put everyone at Brookside – with same formula: $16,660,000
*
OPTION NUMBER THREE: Put everyone at Cedarhurst - $18,120,000.
*
OPTION NUMBER FOUR: new building = $32,990,000 with a cost allowance of $11,559,703.
*
Goff discusses minimum site size requirements as per NYSED standards:
o
Combined elementary school would require minimum of 11 acres
o
At HS/MS campus need a minimum of 23 acres (Brookside site is currently 24.7 acres, Donnelly site is currently 23.3 acres, but 30-40% are not available to build on because of wetlands/flood plain, Cedarhurst site is currently 15.2 acres, HS/MS site is 45 acres).
*
Discussion about redrawing of flood plain maps and potential loss of acreage to newly drawn flood zones.
*
Group discusses impact of administrative/operational costs: yet to be determined.
*
Members discuss state building aid for just renovating the two elementary buildings; old systems are in dire need of work (air handling and water delivery systems).
*
Group must consider where population is: BCK asked to find out what enrollment numbers are currently on file at SED.
*
Cedarhurst could be reopened to students to be used as a "bridge" school during any construction at Donnelly and/or Brookside.
*
Discussions regarding deciding needed work at secondary campus first, then elementary schools; comfort zone on taxpayer impact; when debt is coming off line; project time lines; being able to promote one central location; maintenance work on existing facilities if district commits to new facility; enrollment projections.
Next Facilities and Capital Improvement Committee meeting will be held jointly with Finance Committee JANUARY 7, 2008, 6:30 p.m.