Schools
School Board Approves Facility Committee Plan
The board could vote on ballot language at its December meeting.
The Board of Education for the School District of University City approved a report from its facilities steering committee.
The committee met throughout the fall and looked at the facility needs of the district and made recommendations as to how to prioritize construction projects
The board first heard the proposal at a workshop meeting earlier this month.
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The recommendations from the facilities steering committee included:
- The School District of University City place a $19.4 million, no tax rate increase bond issue on the April 2, 2013 ballot
- The projects to be covered by the bond issue are the Tier 1 projects, followed by the Tier 2 projects; which administration and the Board of Education should select from the Tier 2 projects to complete the $19.4 million
- The Board of Education directs the administration to develop and the Board should adopt a long-range plan to address major projects and future bond issues.
The committee recommended a list of Tier 1 projects to be covered under the proposed April bond issue. The projects represent about 96 percent of the $19.4 million estimated to be raised by the issue.
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The committee then offered a Tier 2 list. Those projects would be prioritized by the board to receive the remaining 4 percent of the bond funds.
Tier 1 Projects
Gymnasium HVAC replacement - competition gym $588,000 X Gymnasium HVAC replacement - practice gym $280,000 X Athletic Department renovations $2,811,000 X Stadium ADA modifications $50,000 X Athletic practice field reconditioning $70,000 Natatorium upgrades (painting and pool deck lighting) $150,000 X Brittany Woods New elevator $252,000 X
Window replacement $781,000 X Replace all old lockers $151,000 X
Gym and locker room renovations (HVAC, sound system) $682,000 X Band room, choir room and art room renovation $112,000 X Flynn Park Replace windows $319,000 X Jackson Park Replace windows $285,000 X TOTAL $18,762,00
The facilities steering committee report was accepted 7-0. The board of education still needs to hold a vote in December if the issue is to be placed on the April 2013 ballot.
Board President Stacy Clay praised the report and the work of the committee, which looked at the long term needs of the district and recommended several options for future funding to improve facilities in the district.
Noting that there are several variables that could impact the district's decision to seek a bond issue in the coming years, Clay asked that the committee's plan for improving the district's facilities through 2020 be made available to the public.
"With all the appropriate caveats in place, noting the fluctuations in the economy and other issues, can we put the information on the web site so that we can get away from practice in the past where we did bond issues in isolation?" he asked. "We want the public to see there is a long-range plan here."
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