|
Board meetings on March 29 and April 5 continued examination of the proposed operating budget for 2005-06, and focused also on facilities projects. Another highlight was the Board’s approval of a contract renewal with the BHTA.
MARCH 29 BOARD MEETING
The Board’s focus was on the Athletic Facilities Project.
Following voter approval of a $4.6MM bond proposal in June of 2003, the District was able to accept bids on, and successfully construct, major improvements to the high school athletic fields, and a field at Coman Hill. The centerpiece of the work at the high school is the new all-weather, multi-purpose field currently in use by virtually every high school spring sport except tennis, which also is enjoying the use of six new courts.
In This Issue..
| March 29 |
|
| Athletic Facilities Project |
1 |
| Voter Approval |
1&2 |
|
Classroom & Core Facilities
|
2 |
| April 5 |
|
| BHTA Contract |
2 |
| Classroom & Core Facilities |
2 |
| Athletic Facilities |
2 |
| Budget Hearing IV |
2 |
| Other Business |
2 |
| Coming Attractions |
2 |
| Board
Action Summary |
3 |
|
|
Due to higher than expected bids, other brick and mortar work (HS locker rooms, Wellness Center, concession/utility building), and lesser fields work at Wampus and HCC, is still outstanding, so the Board has been engaged in a problem-solving process aimed at bringing the whole project to conclusion. While the design work by the Board’s initial consultants, The Thomas Group, was more than satisfactory, the Board felt a need to call in Triton Construction for a second opinion on the cost estimates. (Triton is currently engaged in the $47MM Classroom and Core Facilities Project approved by the voters in May 2004.) Triton’s estimators believe that the original estimate was too low, and told the Board that an additional $1.6MM would be necessary to complete the project.
After reviewing the Athletic Facilities Project in some detail, the Board came back to the nub of the problem—the $1.6MM shortfall—on March 29. Assistant Superintendent Greg Carlson, supported by Superintendent John Chambers, had put forward to the Board a proposal to close this funding gap by drawing $1.6MM from District reserves. After extensive discussion, and assurances that the use of this reserve money did not impact the tax rate, and that the reserves might be restored in the near future, the Board accepted this recommendation.
Voter Approval
On March 29, the Board also wrestled with the question of how to request voter
|
