Improvements to ROWVA’s three elementary buildings would cost nearly $3 million each to bring the aging structures up to modern school standards, according to a feasibility study.
The ROWVA District 208 Board of Education, some faculty and community members heard a review of the building feasibility study by the Farnsworth Group of Peoria, at the board’s meeting Monday.
Farnsworth architect Scott Burge, in response to a request by board members Jan. 18, prioritized issues of concern at the district’s three elementary schools into major, moderate and functional issues.
Some of the major issues included lack of accessibility, lack of egress in case of a fire or other emergency, inadequate ventilation, antiquated electrical systems, failure of the building envelope and inadequate hoods over kitchen stoves.
Burge said proper ventilation could be achieved in the buildings if the district was willing to spend the money. However, some issues, such as accessibility at Wataga, probably could not be corrected, he said.
Moderate issues included hot water piping and radiators as burn threats, inadequate fire escapes, asbestos tile, and no adequate areas of refuge.
Functional issues included antiquated heating systems, inadequate toilet facilities and difficulties installing technology.
Burge said the three buildings would each take a little less than $3 million to repair to bring them up to present day standards.
“When you think of the multitude of options for this district going forward, those three buildings are going to be an issue no matter what,” said board member Scott Lake. “Now we have the numbers. We didn’t have these numbers when we were talking with AlWood (about consolidation). We were talking about using Altona and that probably would have been a mistake.”
Several of the 40 community members and faculty asked the architects questions about a new building, including classroom size and numbers, parking and a storm shelter.
No action was taken on the issue of repairing or replacing the district’s buildings.
As Superintendent Lloyd Little explained the district’s budget shortfall of possibly $429,000 this year and another $400,000 to $500,000 during the next school year, he displayed seven pages of unfunded government mandates enacted since 1992.
“We have to cut $250,000 to be realistic. We have money because we’ve been fiscally conservative. The rainy day is here, but how many rainy days do we have before the state gets its act together?” Little asked.
Little said 80 percent of the district’s budget goes to paying personnel as he reviewed a list of possible funding cuts for 2010-11. He stressed that the list was not a recommended list of cuts, but possible areas that could be cut.
“We have to tell the staff by our March board meeting if we’re laying anyone off,” Little said.
The board’s finance committee will meet with Little to discuss the issue of cuts further before the next board meeting on March 15.
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