"Draft Only - Approval Pending"

 

M I N U T E S

Select School Facilities Committee

 

 

University of Wyoming Outreach Center                                             September 26, 2005

951 North Poplar                                                                     Casper, Wyoming

 

 

PRESENT:   Senator Hank Coe, Co-Chairman;

           Representative Del McOmie, Cochairman;

Senators Jim Anderson and John Hines;

Representatives Patrick Goggles, Debbie Hammons and Mick Powers.

 

          Other Legislators In Attendance: Senator Grant Larson and Representatives Bob Brechtel and Randall Luthi.

 

          School Facilities Commissioners:  Jeff Marsh, Chairman, Richard Gilpatrick, Ralph Goodson and Jeffrey Carrier.

 

          Legislative Service Office: Dave Nelson, Brenda Long, Matt Sackett and Joe Rodriguez.

 

          Others:  See attached Appendix A.

 

ABSENT:   Senators Mike Massie and Kathryn Sessions and Representative Alan Jones.

 

*  *  *  *  *

 

Senator Hank Coe, Select Committee Cochair, called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.  Select Committee Staff Dave Nelson conducted roll call with three members absent.  There was no agenda specified as the meeting was considered a working session.

 

School Facilities Commission.

Cochair Coe welcomed the School Facilities Commission.  Commission Director Bubba Shivler introduced School Facilities Commission members and staff in attendance.  CoChair Coe announced the Select Committee would be accepting a report from the School Facilities Commission and that public comment on Select Committee forwarding of report recommendations would be taken at a subsequent Select Committee meeting.

 

Biennial Plan Submittal.  Commission Director Shivler reported the School Facilities Commission is recommending two-year plans be submitted by July 1 of each odd-numbered year to coincide with the state funding cycle.  On alternate years, the Commission is recommending assessments be done of school buildings to indicate building progress.  This new approach would eliminate confusion, save the state approximately $700,000 on even number years in professional facility planning expertise, save districts valuable staffing time, allow Commission staff to conduct building assessments in house on even numbered years and would be less demanding on Commission members.  Issue summaries were distributed during subsequent discussion and are attached as Appendix B and Appendix C.

 

Nancy Thomson, Commission staff, stated Commission recommendations would allow for some flexibility to districts to change the scope of their projects on out years through the supplemental budget process.

 

Contracting Directly with Project Architect and Development of Standardized Building Plans.  Director Shivler reported school construction projects are coming in as much as 50% over budget.  The Commission suggests that the majority of the cost escalations are coming from the design phase of building projects, and is requesting legislation specifying the Commission may contract directly with the project architect.  Director Shivler stated that districts would continue to provide valuable input during the design process, but the additional directive would provide the Commission the ability to maintain some control on total project costs.

 

Director Shivler also discussed a recommendation to establish standardized school designs.  He suggested this method would work well with elementary schools but may be more difficult to implement at the middle and high school level.  The main focus is to ensure schools are educationally suitable.  An issue summary was distributed and is included as Appendix D.  Cochair Coe inquired if the Commission had the ability to currently proceed in this manner.  Mr. O’Donnell responded current statutory provision is vague.  Cochair Coe instructed Select Committee staff to draft legislation for consideration at the next Select Committee meeting.

 

Representative Powers expressed concern that the Commission currently has sufficient control with respect to school building projects, and suggested local control has been eliminated from the grade configuration and building site project decisions.  Director Shivler agreed that the Commission is resistant to district demands since law requires it to get district buildings to capacity standards.  Commission Chairman Marsh followed up Director Shivler’s comments by stating the statutes also allow the Commission to consolidate across district lines, with the consultation of the Select Committee and the legislature.  Chairman Marsh stated the mission of the Commission is to proceed in the building remediation process with due diligence through the most cost effective means.  He also pointed out that although the population in Wyoming is rising, the school age population is declining.

 

Commission Authority to Enforce Value Engineering Recommendations.  Director Shivler explained that currently the value engineering process for any school building project is done in two phases: 10% schematic design phase and 35% building design phase.  Presently, the districts are considering but not following the value engineering recommendations.  The Commission is requesting statutory authority to enforce value engineering recommendations.  An issue summary was distributed and is attached at Appendix E.

 

The Select Committee and School Facilities Commission held discussion on the type of designs that are causing building projects to exceed budgeted amounts and the possibility of modifying the process to allow the construction industry sufficient opportunity to stabilize.

 

Consolidation of Facilities.  Director Shivler referenced Big Horn County School Districts #1 and #2 as potential candidates for consolidation under W.S. 21‑15‑117.  Expanding, Director Shivler pointed out Lovell has a high school that is declining in enrollment but pointed out a new school is being completed in Cowley.  Both locations are separated by not more than 4.5 miles. Educational specialists have advised the Commission that high schools can be too small and that schools less than 200 students present size issues.

 

Discussion also focused on Big Horn County School Districts #3 and #4 and Uinta County School Districts #4 and #6.  It was noted communities within these districts are currently transcending district boundaries for various school programs and activities.

 

The Select Committee and the Commission concluded discussion by identifying the impact of consolidation the respective communities and incentives for communities to consolidation themselves rather than mandates imposed by the Commission or the legislature.  An issue summary was distributed during this discussion and is included as Appendix F.

 

Off Site Developments.  Director Shivler brought to the attention of the Select Committee the fact that the Commission is not currently providing funds to school districts for off-site developments such as sidewalks, curb and gutter, street lights, traffic lights, intersection improvements and water and sewer lines.  These expenditures are becoming substantial to impacted communities.  Recently Cheyenne was quoted $6.2 million for sewer and water lines and street infrastructure necessary for the completion of a new school.  The Commission recommends the establishment of a state level funding mechanism for this purpose which is outside of the Commission's jurisdiction.

 

Select Committee members suggested several other programs currently exist for these communities to pursue in funding necessary infrastructure and Representative Goggles request Select Committee staff to provide a summary of current programs.  The issue summary for this topic is attached at Appendix G.

 

Alternative Schools.  Director Shivler advised that further information and clarification is required as to parameters and criteria for alternative high schools.  State Superintendent McBride and the Department of Education is working on the development of this information and upon completion, the Commission will move forward in providing facility standards to meet the needs of district alternative high school facilities.  The issue summary is included at Appendix H.

 

Vocational Education.  Director Shivler reported that vocational education subject is a similar issue as alternative schools, and that the state needs to develop policy for vocational education programs offered by school districts.  Districts are not satisfied by the space provided for vocational education programs within facility standards.  The State Superintendent and the Department of Education are aware of this matter.

 

The need for technical education was discussed as well as the option of establishing regional vocational education facilities and cooperating with community colleges in provision of career/vocational programs.  The issue summary is included as Appendix I.

 

Teacherages.  Director Shivler stated districts are requesting funding for new teacherage facilities at remote school locations. Currently Commission provides major maintenance to maintain existing teacherages; however, there are no guidelines for new teacherages.  The Commission requests guidance from the Select Committee.  Select Committee members requested Commission staff provide additional information on teacherages.  An issue summary is included as Appendix J.

 

State Agency Leases and Major Maintenance Payments.  Director Shivler explained as the Commission begins to reduce excess square footage in districts, many communities are requesting to lease excess space at a reduced cost that does not compensate districts for space maintenance.  Further, the communities suggest that the state maintain these facilities.  The Commission requests the Select Committee forward legislation to encourage districts to reduce inventories and to clarify payment of maintenance costs for leased district facilities.  An issue summary is attached at Appendix K.

 

Budget.  Director Shivler reported following completion of the district five year plan review, the Commission estimates a budget need of roughly $500 to $600 million over this period of time. Teresa Kunkel, Commission staff, added that to remedy some of the problems that have arose this past biennium, the Commission is requesting inflationary funds over two periods, 15% for the prior biennial period and 15% for the current biennium.  These funds will enable projects to move forward.  An additional amount will be request by the Commission to cover reallocation costs built in at 10% to 15% of the construction budget, which will be designed to allow the Commission to continue to proceed with district projects in a timely manner.

 

Commission members also discussed additional positions requested in the budget, the cost savings generated by conducting building condition assessment reviews by Commission staff, budget contingency amounts and project reallocations.  Ms. Kunkel explained project changes or reallocations from what was presented in the original budget, and copies of information outlining project changes and re-allocation were distributed.  Materials distributed are attached at Appendix L and Appendix M.

 

Cochair Coe directed attention to the LSO issue brief on school construction costs and issues, previously distributed to Select Committee members.  A copy is attached at Appendix N.

 

Adjournment.

 

There being no further business, Cochair Coe adjourned the Select Committee at 12:04 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

__________________________            __________________________

Senator Hank Coe,               Representative Del McOmie,

Select Committee CoChair         Select Committee CoChair