Tyler

By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer

The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees approved the district entering into contract negotiations with two firms for architectural and engineering services for projects in the November 2008 bond election.

Those firms are Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig and Corgan/Sinclair and Wright Architects.

Corgan/Sinclair and Wright Architects is a combination of two firms, while Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig is one firm.

If the bond was to pass, these would be the firms that would handle the design of the new facilities proposed in the 2008 bond issue.

TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid explained during the meeting that the reasons for moving forward with this are because of financial and timing issues.

"If we project to open facilities by the fall of 2010, if the bond were to pass, we would need to get a jumpstart on the design processes � and the site engineering and the site development," Reid said.

He also said that if the bond passed, it would be important to move forward for bids as soon as possible to try to beat the inflation current.

"From our standpoint, it's critical that we go ahead and begin this process," he said.

The school district is proposing a $124.9 million bond issue for voters to consider in a Nov. 4 election.

The bond issue, which would replace six campuses, is a continuation of the school district's effort to address facility needs through a four-phase plan laid out in 2004. Voters approved a Phase 1 bond issue in 2004.

Under the Phase 2 proposal, Clarkston, Griffin, Jones, Orr and Woods elementary schools as well as the St. Louis School for students with special needs would be replaced.

Reid said at the meeting Tuesday that the district plans to conduct negotiations in the next three weeks and then bring forward contracts for the board's review at its regular September meeting.

The cost for the firms' work can be covered by about $2 million remaining from the 2004 bond election, Reid said, also noting that both firms are willing to work with the district regardless of whether the bond passes in November.

"If this bond were not to pass, the work that would be done would not be in vain. It would be work that could be utilized at a future date," he said.

The selection committee received RFQ (requests for qualifications) responses from 17 firms. The committee selected four firms for oral presentations and then ranked firms.

Reid said the committee included Board Trustees Orenthia Mason and Gene Shull as well as community members and Deputy Superintendent Cecil McDaniel.

Trustee Brad Spradlin said he appreciates the district administration being proactive about this because "it is going to save us money in the long run." He also noted that so many firms submitting responses to the RFQ, "says a lot about the district."

Other board members pointed out the need to move forward because of timing and cost factors.

Reid said after the meeting, "From a prudent standpoint, if a bond were to pass and we then had to do the design process, that could take as much as three or four months � which would slow down the bid process by that time," he said. "The quicker we would be ready to bid if a bond were to pass, the more money we would save in construction costs."

Reid added, "In no way do we want the public to perceive this as us believing we've already got the election wrapped up or anything. In fact, no where close to that. We're just trying to do the prudent thing if it were to pass."

TISD is also one step closer to having all its campuses equipped with wireless networks after the board voted Tuesday to spend more than $353,000 to install wireless networks at those remaining campuses that do not yet have it. Campuses that do not have wireless networks available include Rice, Dixie, Hubbard, Birdwell, Plyler, Owens, Stewart, Hogg, Clarkston, Caldwell, Griffin, Jones, St. Louis, Woods, PACE and the Peete Annex, according to TISD. Additional wireless antennas are also needed at Bell, Ramey and Jack elementary schools to increase the wireless coverage.

"We are excited about being able to bring this forward," Reid said to the board. "We think it's time -- especially with CSCOPE (the new online curriculum) and the new laptops the teachers have. Our staff has become much more technologically literate here in the last year or two."

Reid also noted some of these schools are on the list to be replaced as part of the Nov. 4 bond election proposal. He said all wireless equipment the district installs will be able to be removed and placed in new facilities if the bond was to pass.

John Orbaugh, director of technology, said after the meeting that the installations will take most of this school year, about six to nine months.

Having a wireless network at campuses gives teachers more flexibility, Orbaugh said, especially with the new laptops the district purchased for each teacher in the last school year.

It also is important as the state pushes for more online testing, he said.

According to agenda information, the money for the installations comes from the E-rate fund balance.

Also Tuesday, the board approved a local policy revision related to transfers and the 2007-08 final amended budget, which showed a surplus of about $4 million. Part of that surplus comes from an extra $2.8 million TISD received because of a state recalculation in target revenue it gets per student.