Agenda - 04-19-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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10 1 Todd LoFrese said Glenwood is a school that the architects and engineers determined 2 needs to be replaced rather than renovated for various reasons, which he reiterated. He said 3 the solution for now is to create a secure vestibule in the front of building, provide support 4 spaces for teachers, insure all bathrooms are ADA accessible, and to keep it running for 10 to 5 15 years while other projects are addressed and other factors unfold. 6 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the column marked "capacity" referred to increase. 7 Todd LoFrese said yes. 8 Commissioner Pelissier said regardless of what the BOCC thinks generally, she does 9 not find it practical to have a consultant due to time constraints. She said it is way too late to 10 consider, and she would not consider it either way. 11 Commissioner Pelissier said recent SAPFO numbers show some student population 12 decreases, which may be temporary and may not. She asked if there is a way to have some 13 projects but not necessarily do them if capacity decreases. She asked if there is a way to be 14 flexible with some of these priority projects. 15 Todd LoFrese said the student population decrease is viewed more as a "breather", and 16 there is an entire school's worth of modular units throughout their district. He said these should 17 not be relied on long term to address capacity. He said these modular units will all need 18 upgrades and renovation, which CHCCS deems as a drain on resources. 19 Commissioner Jacobs asked if the number of modules in phase 3 is known. 20 Todd LoFrese said about 25, and the rest would be in phase 2. He said many of the 21 modules are used for Pre-K classes, and if those classes are relocated to the Lincoln Center, 22 then the modules can be used as swing space while addressing other projects. 23 Commissioner Burroughs said hiring a consultant at this point is not feasible from a time 24 standpoint and would be a waste of funds. She said both districts have discussed this issue for 25 three years and not just the current boards but past boards too. 26 Commissioner Burroughs said their school boards do not serve at the pleasure of the 27 BOCC but are elected by the same voters who vote for the Commissioners. She said some 28 work has already begun and an additional consultant would be a duplicative process. She 29 discouraged the BOCC from voting for this. 30 Commissioner Rich said she could go either way on this item and she has talked with 31 citizens about this over the last 10 weeks, while she was campaigning. She said she still has 32 some concerns with how projects are being considered. She said she gets hung up on Chapel 33 Hill High which is projected to cost $52 million. She said it is difficult for her to go to tax payers 34 and tell them how much projects cost, especially for one building. She values a second opinion 35 but does not think she needs a consultant to tell her what she already knows. She said 36 taxpayers are concerned about how the Board of County Commissioners is spending money. 37 She said she is 100% behind the bond but she wants to be responsible and good stewards of 38 the citizens' money. 39 Commissioner Price agreed with Commissioner Burroughs, saying if a consultant was to 40 be used, it should have come first, not at the end of the process. 41 Commissioner Pelissier said the BOCC does not have a full understanding about these 42 priority projects and the joint meeting in April will allow the BOCC to dig a little deeper with the 43 school boards. 44 Commissioner Rich agreed with this but she wonders at what point are the final 45 decisions made on these projects. She asked if the need is to build a Cadillac or can a 46 Chevrolet suffice. 47 Commissioner Rich gave an example of the Eubanks Solid Waste Center which came in 48 over budget. She said the Towns questioned the amount and the County did call in a 49 consultant to review, which saved a lot of money, and no one was offended.