School board approves budget for diesel lab project, hears of rising costs for intermediate school project

Courtesy Hight Jackson Above is a preliminary drawing of the new intermediate school classroom facility to be built with funding raised from the millage increase passed by voters last September.
Courtesy Hight Jackson Above is a preliminary drawing of the new intermediate school classroom facility to be built with funding raised from the millage increase passed by voters last September.

— Gentry School Board, at its regular meeting on Jan. 9, approved a preliminary construction budget for a building to house a diesel mechanic lab and career education classrooms at the high school and considered rising costs for the building of a new classroom facility at the intermediate school. Also approved was preliminary work to seek a second lien issue in the amount of $3 million to help fund the construction projects.

In materials distributed to the board members, cost comparisons for the proposed construction projects were presented. The comparisons projected the recently-passed bond issue -- an increase of 3.1 mills -- to make approximately $9.276 million available for the construction projects after fees are deducted. An additional $150,000 was projected to become available through Career Initiative Fund 3005. Additional funding from the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation could be as much as $1,204,410 for the intermediate school project but is not yet certain and guaranteed to the district.

The estimated cost for the diesel mechanic lab, including fees for the architect and construction manager, is almost $3 million. Estimated construction costs for the new classroom facility and roof replacement at the intermediate school multipurpose building were just over $8 million with costs figured at $150 per square foot and more than $9 million with costs figured at $170 per square foot. Both projections put the construction projects over budget from between $368,000 and near $1.5 million, according to the board materials.

Other projects which the board hoped to get done as well included a system renovation at the new agriculture building at the high school at an estimated price tag of $102,597, electrical renovations in the high school building at $910,553 and sound and lighting upgrades in the high school auditorium at $500,000. Additional partnership funding from the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation is $102,597 for the agriculture building renovations and $286,179 for the electrical renovations at the high school. Renovations to the auditorium do not qualify.

If all the projects are completed, the over-budget amount is projected to be close to $3 million. A second lien issue of $3 million is projected to cover the over-budget costs to complete the projects.

The $3 million second-lien bond the district plans to seek would not require another millage increase but would be paid off with money currently allocated to pay off another bond which will be retired this spring -- more than $400,000 per year. According to Randy Barrett, school district superintendent, the district would likely determine the amount of the second-lien bond and whether or not the other projects mentioned above would be completed after it learns the amount of state partnership funding the school district will receive on its building and renovation projects.

The board, according to a Jan. 9 email sent by Barrett to Brent Farmer of Flintco, construction manager for the projects, approved a guaranteed maximum price of $2,346,001 (not including additional construction-manager and architectural fees) for the diesel lab project.

The reason for the increase in costs for the diesel lab project and the new intermediate school classroom project, according to Barrett, is the rising costs of construction and materials. He said the abundance of construction projects in the area has made it possible for prices to rise in the construction business, meaning the district would have to pay $170, or likely closer to $180, per square foot for the classroom project.

"We might still be able to build a classroom facility for $150 per square foot if we were in southern Arkansas," Barrett explained. "But we're in northwest Arkansas and there are plenty of other construction projects out there and construction companies have other work."

Other Business

Also approved by the board was granting 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave Act time to Amanda Valdez and Kathy Hummingbird.

Reviewed by the board was a job advertisement requesting applicants for the superintendent's position in the district to begin with the 2017-2018 school year, along with a listing of those filling the required positions on a screening committee to review applications and make a recommendation to the school board. The committee includes Toni Sarratt, Lisa Hillis, Larry Cozens, Gayla Wilmoth, Tamhra Shawver, Renee' Bradshaw, Gary Dunlap, Kevin Johnston and Larry Scribner. The deadline for applications for the superintendent's post was Jan. 13.

Also shared with the board was a report of finances and expenditures and a ranking of school districts, comparing teacher and administration costs, total costs and costs per student. The reports, available via the school district website under items shared with the board in the board's DropBox, showed how Gentry School District ranked among the 259 school districts in Arkansas.

Barrett said it is helpful, from time to time, to look at where the district ranks in regard to the cost of the education it provides. He pointed out the high ranking of the Gentry School District but also pointed out how larger schools are able to keep per-pupil costs down because they are able to maximize on the required student-teacher ratio and not have many small classes.

Both Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Gentry Mayor Kevin Johnston made proclamations honoring school board members for their service and declaring January as school board member recognition month. Those proclamations were shared with the board.

General News on 01/18/2017