Posted 12:47 am Thursday, November 19, 2009
Birdwell, Owens Renovations Could Begin This Summer
By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Renovations to Birdwell and Owens elementary schools could begin this summer if the Tyler ISD school board approves using excess funds from current and previous bond programs to move forward with facility improvements.
Staff Writer
Renovations to Birdwell and Owens elementary schools could begin this summer if the Tyler ISD school board approves using excess funds from current and previous bond programs to move forward with facility improvements.
The board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. today in the Dr. Jack L. Davidson Conference Center at the Jim Plyler Instructional Complex, 807 W. Glenwood. Closed session begins at 6 p.m.
TISD is constructing five schools to replace six campuses as part of a $124.9 million, "Phase 2" bond program voters approved in November 2008. One of the facilities will house two existing schools.
The superintendent told trustees at an October board meeting that TISD expects to save at least $20 million from the current bond program. That figure does not include any possible savings from the Griffin Elementary project, which was started later than the others.
The savings are due in large part to the lack of inflation growth, which had been projected to be at 1 percent per month, the TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid has said.
The district also has about $3 million in savings from the 2004 bond.
Dr. Reid said the district needs to seize on the current pricing while it can.
"Our pricing is so solid right now that we don't want to lose this window of opportunity," Reid said. "The bids we're receiving have been very competitive. The Griffin bids came in at a number that was closer to the 2004 buildings than the first couple that we did in this bond election. We don't know how long that's going to last, but we certainly want to take advantage of it while we can."
As part of the district's facilities master plan, it is addressing facility issues at elementary schools first.
The 2004 "Phase 1" bond program built six replacement elementary campuses and one brand new elementary school. The 2008 "Phase 2" bond program is replacing six campuses, including the St. Louis School for special needs students.
The remaining elementary schools on the list for improvements were: Birdwell, Dixie, Rice and Owens. These schools were slated for renovations as opposed to replacement because of how they ranked in a Facilities Condition Index which looks at the cost of replacing a school versus renovating it.
Reid said Birdwell and Owens were chosen instead of the other remaining elementary schools because of the estimated cost it will take to renovate them.
"We chose those two because if we had chosen either one of the other ones we probably would not have had enough to do two buildings," he said.
The remaining elementary schools, Rice and Dixie, would be tackled as part of the beginning of the next bond program, he said.
Tim Loper, director of facilities at TISD, said that as part of the master planning done in 2007, identified needs at Birdwell include a new cafeteria, library, gymnasium, expanded administrative areas and possibly new classrooms. Some classrooms also need to be renovated for things such as flooring, ceiling, lights and technology.
Needs at Owens Elementary include a new library, additions to the cafeteria, administrative areas and extra classrooms as well as a new gym, Loper said, also noting the need for technology upgrades.
"We'll have to go back and revisit those schools and reconfirm what the exact needs are, what programs they have and do a real thorough assessment to be able to design what they need and hopefully with some capacity also," he said.
As part of tonight's meeting, trustees will consider approving the use of the excess 2004 and 2008 bond funds for the design, renovations and additions at the schools. They also will consider approving the construction delivery method of "construction management-at-risk," which is the same as in the 2004 bond program and the current one.
The board also will consider approving Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig Architects for the architectural and engineering services for the two projects.
Loper said renovations and additions to these schools could be done by August 2011.
Among the other items trustees will consider tonight is the designation of excess fund balance dollars over the optimum required by the state.
The administration is recommending that $1.65 million in excess fund balance be used for the school bus replacement program to replace eight buses, which will cost about $675,000; for an additional security allotment of $500,000; and for the pay incentive program for teachers for $473,089.61.
The excess was the result of several factors, officials said, including an increase in School Health and Related Services federal revenue over what was budgeted, E-rate funds not budgeted for as well as conservative enrollment projections.
The board also will discuss the district's dress code policy as well as policy and practices related to the issuance of citations. Reid said trustees requested these two discussion items be placed on the agenda. These are not action items.
