SOUTH OTSELIC –The Otselic Valley School Board met Wednesday to honor a retiring board member and to discuss possible building options for the district.
The meeting started on a bittersweet note, as long-time board member Dan Brown was presented with a plaque for 10 years of service.
“We want to take the opportunity to recognize Dan for his 10 years of experience. He’s done a great job serving the school and he will be missed,” said Board President Greg Brown.
Many items were on the agenda for the night, but one of the most discussed was the facilities planning update. Superintendent Larry Thomas told the board and the people present about the most recent meeting of the facilities planning committee.
“The reason the group came together was five-fold. The taxpayers have asked us to investigate measures to limit the amount of the tax increase,” he said. The committee looked at their options, a possible merger with another district (which they decided immediately was not the way they wanted to go), combining the Georgetown Elementary School and South Otselic Jr./Sr. High School into one building, or upgrading both buildings.
Thomas listed some of the reasons the changes are necessary, pointing to the need for technology updates, more hands-on learning, and a different layout. If each building were renovated and upgraded separately, he said changes at the elementary school would include the addition of some classrooms, the expansion of the kitchen and nurse’s station areas and solving heating issues.
“We’re hopeful that we will be able to have a school-based clinic at some point,” he said.
The cost for upgrading the elementary school would be $3.2 million, of which officials estimate they would receive $2.9 million in aid.
Improvements at the high school would include adding classrooms, changing the placement of the main office to make it closer to the main entrance, and adding a new library learning center. The high school upgrades total $7.2 million, of which $6.5 million is estimated to be received in aid.
Total for both projects would be $10.5 million, of which the taxpayers would have to deal with $100,000 over a 30-year period.
“If we keep both campuses where they are and do the renovation project, we do have some improvements to the property, but there will be no significant change in staffing,” Thomas said. “It would not have a large impact in a positive way to saving money.”
If the two campuses were combined, Thomas said the committee worked with the assumption that they would probably use the existing South Otselic High School location, because the school has more property there.
If this option were chosen, a second floor would be built on top of the back wing of the building in addition to new construction. The library would be placed in a central location and an elementary school gym would be added.
“If we do go with this option, we would attempt to segregate the elementary students from the high schoolers to the greatest extent possible,” Thomas said. The current plans even call for two small cafeterias, instead of one large, so that elementary and high school students could have lunch at the same time and still be in separate locations. The plans would call for the addition of a second elevator, and upgrades to the kitchen and the science labs.
The cost of the combination would be $15.5 million, of which $11.7 million could be covered by state aid. The taxpayers would have to deal with $3.8 million over a 30-year period, but Thomas explained there would be a much higher cost savings with the combination.
“If we assume both buildings are together, you don’t have the same demand for manpower,” Thomas said, pointing out a decreased number of custodial, food service, building administration and transportation positions that would be needed. Thomas hopes most of the cuts in staffing would be resolved through attrition as the building plans progress.
“When you put it together, you’re looking at a total estimated savings of $1.1 million per year,” he said. Currently, the local tax share is in excess of $2 million, so the savings are potentially substantial, he later explained.
One local parent expressed some doubt about the project’s savings. “You also have to look at the cost of this building. Even if it sits empty, there will be some fixed costs,” she said. In addition, she pointed out that some local people may be unhappy about seeing the Georgetown school close.
“Sometimes a school is more than a school. Sometimes it is a monument, and you can’t give that an intrinsic value.”
Evans, who graduated from Georgetown before the school merged with South Otselic in 1970, said no one had mentioned the same concerns to him. He encouraged district residents to write letters to the board if they had problems with the possible combination, so the board could hear those opinions.
“People asked us to lower taxes and to do something about this building. This is an effort to find the most economical way to do that,” said Board Member Dave Cruikshank. “At some point we’re going to have to decide what way to go.”
The board reiterated the fact that no action is being taken at this point. Cruikshank pointed out, however, that because of the building’s condition, it will be necessary for the school to do something soon.