October 2, 2023 at 4:30 PM - Building and Grounds Committee Meeting

Discussion:  The Building and Grounds Committee met on Monday, October 2, 2023, in the Central Services Board Room where Mr. Robert Safdie called the meeting to order at the approximate hour of 4:31 p.m. He welcomed everyone to the meeting and appreciated everyone for attending.

Discussion:  Safdie asked for a motion to approve previous minutes. Stout made the motion and Davis with the second. 

Discussion:  Safdie presented this agenda item. He said several board members were interested in getting an overview of maintenance projects. Safdie turned it over to Stepp. Stepp said the first attachment was the renovation and maintenance schedule. He said this had previously been shared with the board. It highlights the rotations and goes over when the board decides when each school will get what items. Safdie asked what renovations are taking place at North and are they done yet? Bray replied no, they have not started those renovations yet. She explained about the uncertainty of rolling South into the renovation schedule so they didn't get skipped and having everyone else move ahead of year. This way, no school was skipped completely, but rather North just rolled ahead a year.  Safde asked which renovations North had requested. Bray said, normally, bathrooms are a big ticket item. She said usually new flooring, environmental cleaning, bathroom partitions and door replacements. North has chosen new front doors. Safie asked what the estimated cost of those renovations would be.  Bray confirmed approximately  $750,000 for bathrooms and Kington has everything else itemized. Davis asked if the renovations looked the same at every school. Bray and Kington said, mostly. Safdie asked how renovations that had not been done were going to fit into the budget next year. Bray said these were budgeted but the question is, are they doing North this year or put South into North's place, so they aren't skipped and move North to next year. That is what they need to know. Safdie asked if the South renovations were different than the building of classrooms they were looking at. Bray said, correct. She walked around the school with principal Hall and talked about the renovation that she was due 2 years ago and got postponed because it was going to be rolled into the new classroom construction projects. Safdie asked Stepp to verify that the growth has not occurred at South like they originally thought 2 years ago and Stepp said as a whole, the numbers were down across the board. Safdie asked if anyone had spoken with Hall regarding changes to building the extra classrooms. Bray said all she has asked is, "if you were doing a renovation today, what would you want" ? Bray said it's 2 separate buckets. They did not discuss construction, only renovation that Hall thought she was getting 2 years ago. Stout asked what few things Hall had received. Bray said she received some painting, new front doors and steps redone. Kington said this is how the renovation rotation follows. That new painting and doors and things of that nature are usually done within that rotation and Hall did receive those smaller items. Stout verified not the big bulk of the reno. She asked if North was postponed, then would the same amount be what the board would be looking at for South? Bray confirmed yes, that is correct, that is the amount they always budget for that type of reno and everyone would just move forward a year. Stout said they could do some miscellaneous things for North, but not the big $750,000 project. Bray said Kington had been a very good steward of her money and been able to do some things at North, but it's one of our schools that is aging and their bathrooms could be some of the worst that need replaced the most. Kington told everyone that North was built in 1980 and South in 1981 so they have some things that need updating. Davis asked what the list of things are that need to be renovated? He said if it's not painting and flooring and roof then what is it? Kington replied interior, bathrooms. Pouring flooring over old tiles. New flooring in kitchen. Davis asked if this was just earmarking $750,000 for each school and then asking what needs to be replaced. Bray replied interior wise. Roofs are on the rotation. Or if they are damaged in weather, they are dealt with at that time. Safdie asked if the several roofs that were damaged recently had all been taken care of by insurance money. Bray replied no, not all of them. Safdie asked if the $750,000 at North was excluding the 50k for flooring, 20k for environmental cleaning, and etc and he said he is hearing that some of that money can be split with South. Bray said no, she is saying to slide South in where North is at and move North out to the next year. She said everyone will be moved a year on the maintenance schedule. Stepp said this way not anyone is left out and skipped over. Safdie sad in '24-'25 that he sees no one is scheduled. Bray replied it's a roof year. Kington said that if it's in good enough shape, the roof can be skipped that year. Safdie said the money that would be applied to roofs next year would have to be accompanied by $750,000 for North renovations. He said it would have to go North if the board approved and that's a million plus. Kington said her thought was take the money for North (from last year) plus the 200,000 for Pine View for the roof. Stout asked if there was any other chance of suffering water damage through the leaks from the roof at Pine View? Kington, replied no. King said as he looks at the budget for year to year he sees bathroom partitions at every school but bathrooms are not all the same size and he wants to know how the district got that figure? Kington said that this is a generic figure and usually does most bathrooms, except for the longer bathrooms that are newer. She said they do as much as they possibly can. Safdie let everyone know that this comes under items 4 & 5 on the agenda. He asked if more time needed to be spent or take it home and let them look over everything and then come back. Stout said she feels they can break in up to bits and chunks. Stepp reminded the committee that there is a supporting document that is active and live so that every school project is tracked. Stout asked if all these items in green and red are all items that have been budgeted for, funds have been allocated from the general fund or federal. Bray said yes and blue was more needs. Alarm systems that are needed eventually. Davis said it's more like a want then. Bray and Kington said no, the alarms at CCHS are a necessity. Kington said they would see this on her budget next year. Stout said these have not been approved by the county commissioners in this year's budget and Bray confirmed. She asked if it was a need that has to be taken care of this year, since it wasn't budgeted, it would have to come from the general fund and Davis said that is what they don't want to happen. Kington said she never tries to take anything away out of this year's budget, if it can wait. Like for instance the CCHS alarms-she has worked on it to last for one more year until it can be budgeted for replacement and it was inspected and passed.  Safdie said they were saying it is operating but needs to be updated. Davis asked if the Pine View roof on the old part was different than the schedule for Pine View's roof. Kington said this was actually due to wind damage. Stout asked if there was anything they needed to let the board know before they took this home and studied it. Bray said the roof at Stone Elem was complete and new flooring was also given. Some painting at South. The gym at North. Many projects are completed. Safdie asked in order to move some renovations from North to South would take board approval? Stepp said that the intent in the budget committee was moving forward with the South renovation. Stout said a couple of meetings discussed this because some were concerned about South getting skipped if the addition wasn't going to happen. Stepp and Bray confirmed again that they didn't want anyone getting skipped. Safdie asked if they could do half of North and half of South. Bray said she believed it would be better to do 1 project and get more bang for the buck. Stout said that doesn't negate North from getting their bathroom partitions and doors. Bray replied, correct. Safdie asked if the North Reno would be the $750,000 but then still get some other things. Bray said she would get flooring. Safdie asked what step in the process does this committee have? Stepp said this was previously voted on this is how they decided on the line items. Safdie asked about swapping North to South-if that was a board decision or a Director of Schools decision? Stepp said the board can vote on it but he feels most everyone would agree. It's just rotating the entire renovation cycle for 1 year. Bray said nothing moves quickly and with this being October and going before another board meeting and waiting for all the bids and specs to come, best case scenario is this is going to be January or February before it can even get started. Safdie asked Bray what her recommendations were? Bray said what would be best would be for them to say they have appropriated the funds and South got skipped because they thought they were going to roll it, but now they are going to put South before North and roll North out 1 year and everyone else will move forward a year. Safdie asked if they would want to start the bidding process immediately? Kington and Bray responded yes.  Bray said it takes a while for all the specs to come together and get it to county finance and then go out to bid publicly. She said the process is quite lengthy and does not move quickly. Stout said as a board they would still have to accept the bids when they come in. Safdie said yes and they would have to approve them to bid on the project. Stout said processes are in place, so the board would still be involved but it the money was already line itemed, that would allow Bray and Kington to get going on everything. She also feels that with Brock retiring as County Finance Director, and no one currently named to fill the position, that could also potentially be another slowdown. Safdie said he is yielding to Stout's understanding along with Bray, Kington and Stepp as he isn't sure this committee is in place to approve or disapprove that process. Stepp said with the money having already been approved by the board for renovations, South is the next school for renovations, they are just changing the year. Stout said and we are also trusting our experts. Stepp said they have already been talking to Hall about the things she is hoping to have within the renovations at South. Safdie said this is not a voting item. But he is also unsure if these issues were brought up at the Sept 27th meeting under South Renovations. Stout said that conversation was just regarding the addition at South for $2.2. Sadie said he can't make a recommendation but the committee understands and is appreciative of North for their willingness to delay their renovations. Stout said once they look this over and come back, it would help if (Bray and Kington) could let her know the items that weren't budgeted but would be a priority in their professional opinion. 

Discussion:  The projects in process were previously discussed in the scheduled updates portion of the agenda. 

Discussion:  Safdie moved on to this item and said the last set of minutes indicated that Chamberlin with Upland Design said end of September was deadline for ESSER 2. Stepp said that Bray has talked to Chamberlin and they have worked to have that process locked in place so that they are not returning any Federal money. He said they are working together on timelines and deadlines. Bray and Kington said they are on schedule. Bray said things have moved regarding getting supplies and parts and she feels good about it. Safdie said was it her opinion that they are in a good situation and they will be given a time extension for Federal monies? Bray said she thinks it's going to work out. Stepp said they will meet the deadline. Stout she didn't know if it was so much a time extension as it is just getting it done by the deadline. Bray said they have one invoice left and she's hoping to have that in her hand soon. Stepp said Whittenbarger has a live document on ESSER updates and the board has access to that on Google Drive. 

Discussion:  This was previously discussed during the scheduled projects portion of the agenda.  

Discussion:  Safdie asked for any other discussion. Davis asked what the update was for the completion of the Jet project. Stepp said they were waiting for decals. It's painted and it needs decals and a clear coat. He said they were missing the 2 large Navy decals that go underneath the jet. The district has requested them from the DOD and Blue Angels, but this is currently when the Blue Angels are touring. 

Discussion:  Davis made a motion to adjourn. Stout with the second. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:25 p.m.