A new elementary school to replace William Lynch is on the list of building projects being considered by the R-80 Facility Planning committee, but other projects will come first due to its cost.
In addition to needed repairs and improvements at existing buildings, the committee is looking at long-term projects like a new grade school, a new high school gym, a theater/performing arts center, a fence around the upper elementary school, tin gym/locker room improvements and a turf infield at the baseball field.
The committee was formed after a district-wide assessment by McKinstry, a facility consulting firm, last spring and has met three times so far.
“Where we’re at with the committee is we’re trying to decide on some bigger projects over the next five to 10 years,” said R-80 Superintendent John McColloch. “We sent out surveys (to faculty and staff) and have it narrowed down to about five different possibilities.”
At the next meeting, which is open to the public, the committee is expected to choose which of the five to focus on, McColloch said. The last meeting was canceled due to icy road conditions. It has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 13 at the R-80 administrative office.
All of the work listed in this story has been discussed by the committee but has not yet been presented to the school board for consideration.
The need for a new Construction Trades building—also on the list of possible projects—appears to have been addressed with the awarding of a Workforce Training grant by the state Department of Economic Development last week.
Near-term improvements recommended by the administration for the coming year include replacing a rooftop HVAC unit at the upper elementary, replacing the electrical switchboard in the Vo Ag building, replacing two electrical panels in that building and one in high school Building A. The estimated cost is $200,000 for those projects.
Recommendations for the following year include replacing the condensing unit at middle school Building C, a rooftop HVAC unit at high school Building B and four electrical panels at middle school Building C at an estimated cost of $158,000.
“We’ve also talked about looking into a FEMA grant for a new gym or performing arts center if we qualify,” McColloch said. The district’s chances were helped by the Dent County hazard mitigation plan adopted by the county commission, he said.
Such a grant would pay 75 to 90 percent of the cost for the shell of a building if the finished structure is also used as a community storm shelter during severe weather. “That would allow us to use more of our money for what goes inside, whether it’s a weight room or a gym or a performing arts center,” McColloch said.
Building a new elementary school somewhere down the line is the big-ticket item at an estimated $4.5 to $6.5 million. A new high school gym would cost an estimated $4 million, or $2 million with a FEMA grant.
A performing arts center would cost $2 million, or $1 million with a FEMA grant. New weight room and indoor practice facilities are estimated at $750,000. A turf infield would cost around $300,000.
Funds currently available for improvements total $1.3 million in the capital projects fund. About $400,000 could be transferred from the general fund to the capital projects fund each year for the next three years for a total of $1.2 million. Another $270,000 is available from the classroom trust fund.
How larger projects would be financed depends on which one is given the highest priority. “If we’re ultimately talking a new elementary school or something along those lines, that’s going to have to go to the voters,” McColloch said, because a bond issue would be needed.
A recommendation on how to proceed is expected to come out of the next committee meeting.
“We do have our survey results and we have our assessment results to decide as a group where want to focus,” he said. “These are community tax dollars and we encourage anyone who has an interest in that to attend.”
