On November 6^th, the Building Committee presented to the Board Study session its recommendations for projects to be done under the District’s 5-Year Capital Plan. 

As you may know, the State Education Department (SED) requires that every District in the State prepare a 5-year Capital Plan. The Building Committee’s initial recommendations were presented to the Board last year.  As you may also know, the District owns over 1 million square feet of building space; approximately half of it is over 100 years old. 

In keeping with its preliminary recommendations, the Committee divided the capital projects into 3 categories: 

• Category 1:      Those items that are critical needs and/or relate to health and safety;
   
• Category 2:      Those items that need attention in the medium term;
   
• Category 3:      Aesthetic or longer term improvements to the physical plant

Only Category 1 items were brought forward by the Committee. 

The committee recommended Category 1 work totally approximately 51 million dollars.  Of this, they identified approximately 22.6 million dollars of projects in the energy category and 28.5 million dollars of construction.  The committee emphasized that they are recommending these in order to maintain the safety and viability of its buildings and to ensure that the District is in compliance with applicable law.  The Board will need to review the committee’s findings and make a decision about what, if any of this work should be done, when it should be done, and how it can be paid for. 

The Committee has been working with our new Assistant Superintendent for Business to explore alternative ways to finance some of the projects. For those items that are energy efficiency related, there are financing alternatives other than a bond which might allow us to finance them through the operating budget. These Energy Services Contracts are widely used by school districts, municipal governments and the federal governments. The efficiencies created would offset the cost of the improvements. The building committee is continuing to explore this option and will have more information for us at the Nov 27^th meeting .

On the energy side, the Hommocks desperately needs a new boiling and HVAC system; Central similarly needs a new boiler. The systems in both buildings are well past their 40 year useful life, and need immediate attention. 

Of the remaining 28.5 million dollars of non-energy related work, the largest single item is the elevator and connecting corridor at the Mamaroneck Avenue school, which would make MAS fully accessible. Although initially part of the proposed work for the  previous bond, this project was not able to be completed then and we are awaiting SED direction as to whether or not they will require us to undertake this  project. Doing so could cause the loss of two classroom at the school.  The Committee and Board will continue to study this project and will seek direction from SED. 

The committee also showed photographs of hallways, bathrooms, roofs and brickwork that are falling into serious disrepair at all of our schools. Murray and Chatsworth both have projects that need immediate attention, and work is currently being done to the outside of the PACE entrance to the high school because of safety concerns.  

It should be noted that over the course of its deliberations, the committee trimmed by almost 15 million dollars of work that had been recommended by our architects and engineers.  The Board will spend a great deal of time further reviewing those projects that remain. 

At the meeting also, the Board voted to approve LAN Associates, and architecture and engineering firm that has been working with the Committee on the 5-Year Plan, as architects for the project. 

Finally, you may remember that last year we put into the budget money to repair the cupola on top of the Post building at the high school. The structure is deteriorating badly, and that deterioration is also causing leaks and other problems in the rooms below it. To rebuild the cupola out of wood would cost approximately $350,000. LAN and the Committee showed the Board brochures for companies that will construct an exact replica of the cupola out of aluminum and fiberglass for a cost of $150,000 plus the savings we will realize on annual maintenance. Interestingly, the Town recently replaced the cupola on the Weaver Street firehouse in a similar manner and the quality of that work, as well as the work portrayed in the brochures convinced the Board to instruct LAN to take bids from these companies. 

Discussion will continue at the November 27^th meeting.

Michael Jacobson