Minutes of the

School Facilities Commission/Select Committee Joint Meeting

Room 302, State Capitol Building

May 2, 2003, 8:30 a.m.

 

 

Call to order – Chairman Olson called the joint meeting of the School Facilities Commission and the Select Committee to order at 8:35 a.m.

 

Present: Stan Cooper, Jane Wostenberg, Rich Cathcart, Mike Massie, Hank Coe, Mike Baker, Gregg Olson, Irene Devin, Bill Anthony, Bruce Perryman, Tom Burns, Rande Pouppirt, Jim Anderson, Saundra Meyer, Trent Blankenship, Jeff Marsh

 

Approval of Meeting Agenda – Commissioner Marsh made a motion to approve the meeting agenda; Commissioner Burns seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.

 

Introductions – Members of the Select Committee and School Facilities Commission introduced themselves.

 

Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes - Commissioner Blankenship made a motion to approve the minutes from the March 1, 2003 meeting and the April 7, 2003 meeting; Commissioner Marsh seconded the motion; the motion passed unanimously.

 

Presentations

 

Five Year Plan – Mr. Brad Oberg, Director of Planning for the School Facilities Commission, made a presentation on the Five Year Plan and answered questions from the Select Committee and School Facilities Commission.

 

At 10:15 a.m. Commissioner Marsh made a motion to take a 15 minute recess; motion was seconded by Commissioner Anthony; motion passed unanimously.  The meeting reconvened at 10:40 a.m. with all members present.

 

Explanation/Response of Facility Standards & Guidelines

 

Mr. Dodds Cromwell-MGT of America, Mr. Brad Oberg, Director of Planning, and Mr. Dave LaPlante, Director of Construction, presented the proposed Facility Standards and Guidelines.  Mr. Cromwell briefly introduced himself and MGT to the new members of the Select Committee and the Commission. Questions were answered from the Select Committee and the School Facilities Commission with regards to elementary, middle, and high schools as well as lift cycle costs.

 

At 12:22 p.m. Commissioner Marsh made a motion to recess for lunch and reconvene at 1:30 p.m.; motion was seconded by Commissioner Perryman; motion passed unanimously.

 

At 1:35 p.m. the meeting reconvened for regular session with all members present.

 

Director Bubba Shivler presented three contentious issues that currently face the State and the School Facilities Commission:  swimming pools, auditoriums and tracks.  He posed the questions:  Should we provide?  Should we pay maintenance if they are an enhancement?  Answers compiled from a questionnaire, sent out to the school districts on April 24th, were presented in a spreadsheet format for the members to review.

 

After a lengthy discussion it was proposed that the School Facilities Commission Staff form a few options to be mailed out for discuss with a subcommittee of Senator Cathcart, Representative Baker, Commissioner Pouppirt and Commissioner Perryman.  The committee would meet at least one time before the June meeting where they would present their recommendation. Chairman Olson asked if the consensus he was hearing expressed by the Select Committee was that swimming pools are not to be funded and that football fields and tracks are to be funded.  There was no disagreement with that statement

 

Chairman Olson suggested that our future meetings be held on the second Friday for more accurate financial reporting; however, it was decided that the meetings would remain on the first Friday as it worked better for everyone. The next joint meeting of the School Facilities Commission and the Select Committee will be held on June 6, 2003.

 

At 2:50 p.m. Commissioner Marsh made a motion to take a 10 minute recess; Commissioner Pouppirt seconded the motion; passed unanimously

 

 At 3:10 p.m. the meeting reconvened for regular session with all members present.

 

Facilities Report

 

Construction Report – Mr. Dave LaPlante, Director of Construction, gave the construction report for all current and future construction projects.

 

Powell High School Update –  Mr. Bubba Shivler, Director,  reported on the Powell School District meeting that he attended on April 24, 2003.  Also present to speak with the group was Mr. David Northrup, Chairman of Park County School Board from Powell.  Mr.  Northrup provided the Commission with results from an Exit Response that was given at the April 24th meeting.  The Exit Response indicated the Community would prefer to construct a new school on a new site meeting the state guidelines and the community to provide for the cost of the capital construction (enhancement) of the natatorium/auditorium ($5,250,000) and new kitchen and multi-purpose room in the middle school ($1,012,000).  Park County plans to continue discussions on their proposed project.  

 

Financial Report – Chief Financial Officer, Teresa Kunkel, gave a more detailed report of the financial report that was given last month.

 

Director’s Report – Director, Bubba Shivler, introduced the final commission member, Bill Anthony.  Mr. Anthony is from Casper and will represent the state educational program for public schools on the Commission.     Mr. Shivler also introduced Mr. Ken Burnett, the latest addition to the School Facilities Commission staff.  Mr. Burnett will be responsible for major maintenance.  Mr. Shivler reported the staff is traveling around the state to familiarize themselves with various schools.  Five Year plans are underway and are due July 1, 2003. 

 

Old Business – None

 

New Business

 

Standard contract agreement for future contracts – Donna Murray, Senior Assistant Attorney General for the School Facilities Commission presented a template contract to the Commission for their review.  No motion was taken on the standard contract agreement; this item will be presented for further discussion at the next meeting.

 

Approval of contracts:

 

Johnson County – Commissioner Marsh moved to approve the Johnson County Contract related to the New Buffalo High School; Commissioner Pouppirt seconded the motion. 

 

Chairman Olson stated he had concerns with some of the wording and therefore did not feel comfortable in approving the contract at this time. 

 

Commissioner Marsh made a motion to amend contract section 1.1.7 to read:  “project costs shall be attached”; Commissioner Anthony seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.

 

Following debate and amendment the original motion passed unanimously.

 

Commissioner Marsh made a motion to approve the second Johnson County contract related to the New Kaycee grades 7-12 Junior/Senior High School with the same changes in contract wording as the Buffalo High School contract; Commissioner Perryman seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously

 

Goshen County – Commissioner Pouppirt moved to approve the Goshen County contract; Commissioner Perryman seconded the motion

 

Following a brief explanation of the contract by Mr. LaPlante discussion was held on paragraphs 1.17 and 1.18.

 

Commissioner Marsh moved that this matter be tabled until the next Commission meeting; Commissioner Burns seconded the motion.  After discussion it was decided it would be more appropriate to withdraw the original motion to approve the contract than to table the motion.  Commissioner Marsh withdrew his motion to table and Commissioner Burns withdrew his second

 

Commissioner Pouppirt then withdrew his original motion to approve the Goshen County contract and Commissioner Perryman withdrew his second to that that motion.

 

It was suggested that we meet again via conference call to discuss changes in the Goshen Contract.  After discussion it was determined that a conference call was not the most appropriate way to handle the concerns being raised.

 

Commissioner Marsh moved that a memorandum of understanding be completed to allow Goshen County to proceed with the demolition the three building on the Torrington site.  Prior to receiving a second it was determined that the Commission would schedule another meeting on May 13 to reconsider the Goshen Contract.  Commissioner Marsh withdrew his motion.

 

Commission and staff will provide the Commission with the contract and all backup documentation to assist them in approving the contract. 

 

Fremont County #38 –  Dave Rushforth, Assistant Superintendent of Fremont County School District #38, appeared before the Commission to ask for their approval to allow them to use the excess funding in the amount of $68,215 from their project appropriation to add asphalt paving and making repairs to their parking lot which would cost a total of $157,215.  Mr. Rushforth explained that this parking lot work was part of the work that was included in the district’s original funding request; however, he personally pulled the asphalt from the project after receiving bids thinking they would be lucky to get the building built without the parking lot for the appropriated amount.  The building was built and came in under the appropriated amount; therefore he would like to use the excess funds to do the work in the parking lot as originally contemplated.  He indicated that the cost of the work was significantly more than the excess funding that he was requesting from the Commission but that the School District would make up the difference.

 

Commissioner Perryman responded that it was a choice of the school district to remove the amount from their proposal.  He felt the State had provided the basket of goods as it was understood.

 

Commissioner Marsh was concerned that the Commission would be setting a precedent for districts to use unexpended funds in the future

 

Commissioner Burns made the motion to approve the request as stated by the district with the stipulation that a memorandum of understanding be completed that explicitly states why, in this instance, the Commission is approving expenditures of appropriated but unexpended monies; Commissioner Anthony seconded the motion.

 

Director Shivler provided the Commission with a spreadsheet of the manner in which the JAC appropriated the money. 

 

Motion passed 4 to 2 with Commissioners Anthony, Burns, Pouppirt and Olson in favor and Commissioners Perryman and Marsh opposed.

 

Laramie County School District #1 land acquisition and related costs – Director of Support Operation, Tom Rooney, appeared before the Commission to ask for their consideration in giving Laramie County School District #1 the approval to acquire 55 acres next to Johnson Junior High School as provided under W.S. 21-15-101(a)(xiii) and 15-116(a)(iii)

 

This agenda item was taken under advisement until the district is ready for the Commission to take action on the reimbursement.

 

Future Meeting

 

Commissioner Marsh made the motion to set the next School Facilities Commission meeting for Tuesday, May 13, 2003 at 10:00 a.m. in Rawlins; Commissioner Burns seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.

 

The following items will be discussed at the next meeting:  Goshen County Contract, template contract, Rules and Regulations

 

Adjournment

 

Commissioner Burns moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:45; Commissioner Perryman seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.

                                                                                                           

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