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Orange approves school construction contract
School Board reorganizes, approves school construction contractDate published: 1/8/2009 BY ROBIN KNEPPER Orange County supervisors have approved $1.8 million in contingency funding for a $37.6 million middle school slated to be built at State Routes 20 and 601 this year. Since the project will cost less than $50 million, the cost agreed to by the supervisors and the School Board last year, the supervisors had to approve only the contingency at Tuesday's meeting, not the entire project. Supervisors passed the measure with a 3-2 vote during a brief joint meeting with the School Board Tuesday. Supervisors Teri Pace and Zack Burkett voted against the contingency funding, which would cover any potential cost overruns or additions. Pace continued to voice her opposition to the new middle school, saying the county should build an elementary school instead. "This school is not going to help the education of schoolchildren," said Pace. "It shows pure incompetence. The burden will be borne by the taxpayers and the schoolchildren." School Board member Jim Hopkins reminded Pace that when the new middle school is opened, Locust Grove Middle School will be converted to an 800-seat elementary school. Supervisor Teel Goodwin added that the new 1,200-seat middle school could, if necessary, house ninth-grade students if the high school becomes seriously overcrowded. "We're building for the future," he said. In opposing the school-contingency approval, Burkett stated that county revenues were down. This was questioned by Supervisor Mark Johnson. County Administration Bill Rolfe said county revenues are "holding steady" this fiscal year, but that "next year will see some dramatic cutbacks" because of decreased revenue. "We need to proceed carefully in these economic times. Schools are necessities," said Johnson. "Now the price to build is low. In five years, we'll thank our lucky stars we did this." There are now 16 trailer classrooms at Locust Grove Elementary and Middle Schools on Route 20, Hopkins said. He added that all eight schools in the county are over capacity. When the School Board met for its regular meeting Tuesday night, it unanimously approved a $30.4 million construction and site-development contract with Kenbridge Construction Co. for the new school. Additional costs for Route 20 intersection improvements, power-line relocation, architectural and engineering fees, sewer and water connection fees, testing services, and the installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment bring the total project cost to $35.7 million. The 5 percent contingency fee brings the overall total project cost to $37,562,175. Construction will start next month, with completion scheduled for January 2010. Robin Knepper: 540/972-5701
Read more stories about Orange Date published: 1/8/2009
What a tool Pace is
(posted by
wideopenspace
, Jan. 8, 2009 6:07 pm)
"Let's build an elementary schools." Guess what, when those kids all move up into middle school, it's too late to build a bigger middle school. You have to stay ahead of the problem, not behind it, be proactive instead of reactive.
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