Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
At their regular meeting on Dec. 1, the NR-S school building committee reviewed an official cost estimate and continued discussions about a proposed storage structure to house the district’s school buses.
The proposal, presented at Wednesday’s meeting from Cash and Carry Lumber, offered multiple possibilities. The minimum price tag for a 60-by-120 foot non-insulated building on footings would total $257,615.80, while the same building on a concrete slab would cost an estimated $281,872.97.
Committee members were also given the option of adding $35,670.31 in additional features, such as insulation. It was quickly established among the committee members that the more expensive concrete slab option was preferable.
However, committee members were also quick to point out that a number of additional costs are not present in the current proposal. For example, the plans do not include the cost of electrical, floor heating, or a pass-through door, and the proposal currently accounts for 14-foot side walls, as opposed to the required 16-foot side walls with 14-foot doors.
Business Manager Dave Skogen told committee members that the additional two feet of side wall could add another $20,000 to the proposal, adding that the building fund currently has $394,500 available, with another $164,125 expected in tax revenue.
However, committee members pumped the brakes before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a new building, citing a potential need for roof repairs to the school in the near future. After a lengthy discussion of existing leaks within the building, it was decided that a comprehensive roof evaluation should be considered before using their remaining funds on a separate project.
Nevertheless, a number of locations for the proposed storage structure were discussed soon after. Wednesday’s meeting only saw a discussion of locations already owned by the school district, though building committee member Mike Jacobson has previously suggested purchasing land from nearby landowners.
“My opinion is, ... close to our campus is ideal, with just the people using it and the efficiency of getting the buses,” said building committee member Laura Hager. “Not that it can’t be done, but just going somewhere to [store] them and bringing them back would be a challenge to find the manpower to do that.”
The primary locations discussed on Wednesday were both on the corner of Central Avenue and Fifth Street, one where the school’s old gymnasium once stood, and the other used for parking across the street to the west of the high school wing.
Committee members were intent on ensuring that buses wouldn’t need to back onto Central Avenue or Fifth Street, both which see high traffic as children arrive and exit school. They also concluded that the old gym location would need to be further analyzed, as the possibility of buried remnants from the old gymnasium might require excavation.
No final decisions were made, but updated cost estimates and more information regarding a location are expected at the next building committee meeting.
