Oxford begins refining latest capital project proposal
OXFORD – When district taxpayers said they weren’t ready for a large scale capital project, the Oxford school board proved they were listening by sending their architects, the Bernier Carr Group, back to the drawing board.
The result of their efforts is a $7.1 million plan designed to address the district’s most critical health and safety concerns, while leaving interior renovations and large scale modifications to a future phase two project.
“This is the base upon which we’ll move to put the scope together,” explained BCG Chairperson Pam Beyor, as she presented the preliminary budget for the first phase of the two-part capital project to the board on Monday night.
Beyor attended the school board meeting along with CEO Bernard Brown, Jr. and architect Jason Jantzi. Together they discussed the details of the project to date, which focuses primarily on items identified in a building condition study the firm prepared a year and a half ago.
At the Primary School/High School campus, there will be no costly additions or field improvements, Beyor reported. “All of that is out. What’s left are the items that were listed in the facilities report.” These items, which include building improvements at both schools, electrical work in the primary building and mechanical upgrades at the high school, add up to $923,488.
More extensive work will be required in the Middle School, where facility improvements alone will total $3.96 million. Also contributing to the nearly $6.2 million budgeted for the building are upgrades to the school’s heating system.
“That’s a big piece in the Middle School,” said Beyor. The preliminary budget included $1.4 million for converting the building’s mechanical system. One item in particular, the need to raise the boilers out of the basement level, has not yet been addressed in the scope of work. This is something that will need to be considered, said Beyor.
“If that building floods again, the boilers are going to be impacted,” she explained.
There could be a chance to shave some of the expenses she has budgeted for, she said, identifying the $180,000 included for field improvements and a drainage system at the Middle School as one of these areas.
“If we don’t actually build a flood wall, we will likely cross that out,” she said.
Beyor reported that she had not yet run aid calculations for the scope of work included in the preliminary budget, but said she was confident the items included “would be fully aided” as there was no new construction involved. “It’s all renovations,” she explained.
The board will consider adding items to the basic scope of work based on a list of suggestions proposed by the district’s teachers. Brown reviewed this list, highlighting items that would be a natural fit for phase one and crossing out items that were either already included or would be better suited to phase two.
“I don’t think it will be difficult for you to identify ... things you (would) want to incorporate in phase one,” said Brown, as he ran through the list. Included were items like painting, carpet, blinds, whiteboards, additional network wiring and storage. The full document can be viewed on the district’s website, www.oxac.org.
Brown also outlined a timeline for the project which would put the proposal before voters by late September. The schedule he proposed would allow for the preparation of design documents between then and May 2010, when the plans would be sent to the New York State Education Department for approval. Once SED has approved the project it could be sent out to bid, with construction taking place between December 2010 and August 2011.
Board member Mark Roach expressed concerns about the schedule in relation to the current budget situation. “Is it too aggressive?” he asked.
The consultants responded by stressing the flexibility of the schedule, which Brown said could be pushed back if necessary.
“It’s not like we’re trying to meet a critical control date,” explained Beyor, adding that small changes in the timeline would not have a “big impact” on the project’s completion date.
According to Superintendent Randy Squier, the next step in the process will be reconvening the Facility Advisory Committee to begin evaluating items on the teachers’ list. Beyor and Brown offered to attend that meeting. The goal is to have the committee meet and narrow down options prior to the next regular school board meeting on April 2.
The result of their efforts is a $7.1 million plan designed to address the district’s most critical health and safety concerns, while leaving interior renovations and large scale modifications to a future phase two project.
“This is the base upon which we’ll move to put the scope together,” explained BCG Chairperson Pam Beyor, as she presented the preliminary budget for the first phase of the two-part capital project to the board on Monday night.
Beyor attended the school board meeting along with CEO Bernard Brown, Jr. and architect Jason Jantzi. Together they discussed the details of the project to date, which focuses primarily on items identified in a building condition study the firm prepared a year and a half ago.
At the Primary School/High School campus, there will be no costly additions or field improvements, Beyor reported. “All of that is out. What’s left are the items that were listed in the facilities report.” These items, which include building improvements at both schools, electrical work in the primary building and mechanical upgrades at the high school, add up to $923,488.
More extensive work will be required in the Middle School, where facility improvements alone will total $3.96 million. Also contributing to the nearly $6.2 million budgeted for the building are upgrades to the school’s heating system.
“That’s a big piece in the Middle School,” said Beyor. The preliminary budget included $1.4 million for converting the building’s mechanical system. One item in particular, the need to raise the boilers out of the basement level, has not yet been addressed in the scope of work. This is something that will need to be considered, said Beyor.
“If that building floods again, the boilers are going to be impacted,” she explained.
There could be a chance to shave some of the expenses she has budgeted for, she said, identifying the $180,000 included for field improvements and a drainage system at the Middle School as one of these areas.
“If we don’t actually build a flood wall, we will likely cross that out,” she said.
Beyor reported that she had not yet run aid calculations for the scope of work included in the preliminary budget, but said she was confident the items included “would be fully aided” as there was no new construction involved. “It’s all renovations,” she explained.
The board will consider adding items to the basic scope of work based on a list of suggestions proposed by the district’s teachers. Brown reviewed this list, highlighting items that would be a natural fit for phase one and crossing out items that were either already included or would be better suited to phase two.
“I don’t think it will be difficult for you to identify ... things you (would) want to incorporate in phase one,” said Brown, as he ran through the list. Included were items like painting, carpet, blinds, whiteboards, additional network wiring and storage. The full document can be viewed on the district’s website, www.oxac.org.
Brown also outlined a timeline for the project which would put the proposal before voters by late September. The schedule he proposed would allow for the preparation of design documents between then and May 2010, when the plans would be sent to the New York State Education Department for approval. Once SED has approved the project it could be sent out to bid, with construction taking place between December 2010 and August 2011.
Board member Mark Roach expressed concerns about the schedule in relation to the current budget situation. “Is it too aggressive?” he asked.
The consultants responded by stressing the flexibility of the schedule, which Brown said could be pushed back if necessary.
“It’s not like we’re trying to meet a critical control date,” explained Beyor, adding that small changes in the timeline would not have a “big impact” on the project’s completion date.
According to Superintendent Randy Squier, the next step in the process will be reconvening the Facility Advisory Committee to begin evaluating items on the teachers’ list. Beyor and Brown offered to attend that meeting. The goal is to have the committee meet and narrow down options prior to the next regular school board meeting on April 2.
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks