M I N U T E S

Select Committee on School Facilities

Room 302                                                                                                                     August 15, 2002

State Capital Building                                                                                              Cheyenne, Wyoming

PRESENT:      Senator Irene Devin, Cochairman;

Representative Jim "Bubba" Shivler, Cochairman;

Senators Jim Anderson, Rich Cathcart and Mike Massie;

Representatives Mike Baker, Lorna Johnson, Wayne Reese and Colin Simpson.

Absent Members:  Senator Hank Coe.

Other Legislators in Attendance:  Representative Larry Meuli and Bill Stafford.

                        Legislative Service Office: Mary Byrnes and Dave Nelson.

                        School Facilities Commissioners:  Frosty Kepler, Chairman; State Superintendent Catchpole, John Ehlers, Burke Jackson, Stephan Pappas, Peggy Sanders and Charles Ware.

Others Present: See attached Appendix A.

AGENDA:       Please see attached Appendix B.

*  *  *  *  *

Senator Irene Devin, Select Committee Cochairman, called the Committee to order at 9:10 a.m.

NOTE:  Please reference the transcripts for all motions and verbatim discussion of school capital construction issues referenced herein.  The transcripts are on file with the Legislative Service Office under Appendix C attached to this report.

Pending Committee Business

CoChair Devin opened the meeting to Select Committee comments pertaining to written responses provided by MGT on school facility programmatic/utilization models and on MGT's role as consultant, copies of which are attached under Appendix D.  There being no comments, CoChair Devin introduced School Facility Commissioners in attendance and requested Commissioners participate in meeting Select Committee deliberations.

School Building Needs Assessment

Mr. Dodds Cromwell, MGT, responded to Committee inquires regarding the school building condition scoring process, the use of building scores in establishing need and limitations of the scoring process.  Mr. Cromwell reiterated MGT's position that building condition scores not be the sole criterion on which to schedule statewide building needs, and that educational suitability, technology readiness and district capacity are factors MGT recommends also be considered when establishing statewide building needs.  Mr. Cromwell also discussed the relationship between the building condition rating system and the building utilization models, noting that the utilization models related the education program to square footage requirements.

Seismic Evaluations Update

Mr. Cromwell reported progress on the evaluation of school buildings within seismic zone 3, which have been identified and are being screened and evaluated for potential seismic hazard.  Seven buildings have been identified for further analysis, and will be analyzed and reviewed in time for a report to the Committee by November 1, 2002.  Attached under Appendix E is a detailed schedule for building evaluations.

Review of School Building Inadequacies

Mr. Cromwell reviewed the preliminary remedy options and cost estimates for school building inadequacies established by the State Superintendent as of October 17, 2002, and analyzed pursuant to 2002 Laws, Chapter 99, Section 4.  The complete report is attached as Appendix F.  Twelve buildings were evaluated in the following school districts: Big Horn #1; Big Horn #4, Goshen #1, Laramie #1 and Park #6.

Big Horn #1

Five facilities were evaluated in Big Horn #1 including the Cowley elementary building, the Byron elementary building and the Rocky Mountain middle school gymnasium, the high school main school building and the high school home economics building.  The MGT review team recommends the following be funded for further evaluation for schematic design:

·         Consolidation of the Cowley, Byron and Frannie elementary into one newly construction elementary school building located in Cowley;

·         Abandonment, demolition or sale of Frannie and Cowley elementary buildings;

·         Renovation of the Rocky Mountain high school main building enabling the home economics program to occupy space vacated by the Byron elementary school;

·         Abandonment, demolition or sale of the Rocky Mountain high school home economics building;

·         Renovation of the Rocky Mountain middle school gymnasium;

·         Renovation of the Rocky Mountain middle school shop building;

·         Estimated total project cost of $11 million;

·         MGT recommendation did NOT include the district's proposal to construct a new gymnasium at Rocky Mountain high school.

Kevin Mitchell, Big Horn #1 superintendent, and Bryan Lee, Big Horn #1 facilities manager, expressed support for the MGT recommendation, and submitted a written report on identified district buildings, a copy of which is attached as Appendix G.

Big Horn #4

Only the Hyattville elementary school was evaluated in Big Horn #4, which was recommended to be closed, and the children bused to Manderson elementary school (22 miles).  Bruce Hanna, Big Horn #4 Superintendent, addressed the Select Committee on behalf of the district that the facility remain open or that a portable facility be placed on the site.

Goshen #1

Four facilities were reviewed within Goshen #1 including the Ft. Laramie middle school building, the Southeast junior high gymnasium, the Southeast Junior/Senior high red brick building and the Torrington high auto mechanics buildings.  The MGT review team recommends the following be funded for further evaluation for schematic design:

·         Close the existing Ft. Laramie middle school;

·         Construct a new middle school facility in Lingle at the existing elementary and high school site;

·         Close the Torrington auto mechanics building;

·         Construct a new vocational facility at Torrington high school;

·         Demolish the old red building;

·         Construct a new gymnasium at Southeast elementary, junior and high school;

·         Estimated total project cost of $4.1 million.

Don Haught and Bob Childs, representatives of Goshen #1, expressed agreement with the MGT findings.  Attached at Appendix H is a copy of the written statement presented by the district.

Laramie #1

Only the Clark building was reviewed, which houses the community-based occupational education program.  The MGT review team recommended no action at this time, but that the building be dealt with upon completion of the district's facility master plan which will identify long-term use of the building.  Dan Stephan, Laramie #1 superintendent, expressed agreement with MGT findings.

Park #6

The MGT review team evaluated the Cody high gymnasium and additionally, conducted a structural evaluation of the building (a copy of which is attached under Appendix I).  Based upon its findings, the MGT review team recommends that the renovation of the gymnasium facility be funded for schematic design at an estimated cost of $4.4 million.

Bryan Monteith, Park #6 superintendent, spoke in favor of MGT recommendations and submitted a written statement attached under Appendix J.

Select Committee/Commission Discussion

During the discussion of the MGT process undertaken in formulating facility recommendations, discussion focused on Select Committee/Commission roles during the transitional period of assembling statewide building needs preceding the 2003 general session.  Generally, both the Select Committee and the Commission agreed the Select Committee is to function in an advisory capacity, including the role of advocate in legislative matters.  The Commission is responsible for assembling and budgeting statewide building needs, establishing a process to schedule future building needs and for establishing state policy.  The Commission indicated its intent to commence a review of statewide adequacy standards and facility guidelines.

In response to a request of Select Committee members, an analysis of building/school consolidation recommendations for Big Horn #1, Big Horn #4 and Goshen #1 and the impact on the school finance small school adjustment was provided by staff, a copy of which is attached as Appendix K.

Future Statewide Building Needs

At the request of LSO staff, Mr. Cromwell presented a review of building condition, educational suitability, technology readiness and ADA scores, which were combined on a 60%/20%/10%/10% weight.  The sum combined score was presented as one approach to schedule future needs.  The draft report is attached as Appendix L.  Mr. Cromwell indicated additional review would be undertaken prior to the next Commission meeting.

Commission Update

Members of the Commission and Commission director Don Brygelson provided Select Committee members an update of Commission activities and future plans.  A report on the site visit of the Worland pipeline project was also provided, a copy of which is attached as Appendix M.

Representative Mike Baker provided Select Committee members and Commissioners with maps of school district building sites, student residence locations and district busing routes, as pertaining to the proposed remedies.

Adjournment

CoChair Devin announced the Select Committee would meet in December and possibly prior to December, as determined necessary by the CoChairs.

There being no further business, CoChair Devin adjourned the meeting at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________________                _________________________________

Senator Irene Devin,                                          Representative Bubba Shivler,

Committee CoChair                                           Committee CoChair