The Bethlehem Central School District is another step closer to drawing up a facilities referendum after the school board approved a new architect at a recent meeting.
On Wednesday, Nov. 7, the educational design firm Ashley McGraw was approved as the new architect for BSCD. While school districts are required by the state to have a contract with an architect, Ashley McGraw will now specifically be in charge of establishing estimates and drawing up plans for facilities upgrades.
“Something the board has brought to light, as well as the community, is that we need accurate numbers,” said Superintendent Thomas Douglas. “In order to do that, we would normally turn to the district’s architect, but we were changing architects.”
The district is deciding whether to bond for facilities improvements including infrastructure work, technology upgrades and a new sports complex. Completing all of the projects would cost about $14 million, according to existing estimates. The Board of Education at this point has not decided what should be included in the bond, or if one should be pursued at all. District residents would need to approve of the bonding in a public referendum.
Daniel Heukrath from Ashley McGraw said starting this week the design firm will visit all the district’s buildings and sports facilities to update the district’s five-year plan, which is mandated by the state. The architect can then give better estimates to the board members, who will ultimately next decide what to include in the bond proposal.
“They aren’t designing anything yet,” said BC Operations and Maintenance Director Gregg Nolte. “We need to get a grasp on cost and what materials are best suited for these projects.”
Construction on any approved projects is not expected to begin until 2014. Project estimates from Ashley McGraw are expected by the school board’s next meeting at the end of November.
Nolte said the district’s chief concern is protecting the structural integrity of each of its 11 facilities and 22 outbuildings and ensuring the health and safety of students and staff.
The Operations and Maintenance Department has identified repairs needed to the roofs at Slingerlands and Glenmont elementary schools and the high school, and façade and masonry repairs needed at the middle school. Technology upgrades have also been identified, as more state-mandated testing will eventually be done online at all grade levels.
A campaign by several parents last fall led the board to consider a bond to upgrade the district’s sports facilities after many games had to be canceled because of drainage issues at the high school football field, and senior night had to be held at a different school.
Athletic Director John DeMeo had already identified needed upgrades to the high school’s turf, track, lighting and sound systems and the bleachers. The costs could run between $2 million and $3.2 million.
After holding three community forums and asking residents to participate in an online survey, the board will begin discussing what upgrades should be included in a bond at a meeting held on Nov. 28. At that time a lengthy presentation will be given by the Ashley McGraw design team on their findings, along with cost estimates. Although the public is welcome to attend, district officials said the meeting is not a public hearing and is meant to focus on the opinions of school board members.
“Now that public participation and information gathering has come more to a close … it’s time for the board to discuss what their plan of action will be going forward,” said Douglas.
The superintendent said completing the discussions about facilities upgrades would soon become a “balancing act” to make sure decisions are made before the budget season begins.
The presentation and discussion will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium.