(Report provided by KMAN’s partner, the Wamego Smoke Signal)
Facility improvements and additions could cost USD 320 between $30 and $34 million, according to a comprehensive plan outlined by Brent Bowman, principal with BBN Architects.
Originally, the district had contracted with BBN to assess the Catholic church property and the locker room/bathroom facilities at the sports complex. That assessment was expanded in the spring to include a comprehensive plan to handle projected enrollment growth and current overcrowding.
At the regular board meeting Monday night, Bowman came with a plan to address those issues.
He first outlined uses for the Catholic church property.
âWe looked at the church (building) and it would cost about $500,000 to renovate and I donât know what use you would have for after you spent it,â he said. âI would like to see if it could move to some other site and have an appropriate use. It doesnât seem to fit the needs of the district.â
The other plans for that site include converting the parish hall and education buildings into a Special Education facility. âIt seems pretty well suited for that function,â he said.
There were two options with the rectory, which is approximately 2,600 square feet, â renovate it for the district office or remove it and build actual office building in the space. âDenise (OâDea, superintendent) and I felt that was the more appropriate notion,â he said. âA new district office answers needs for the long term much better.â
The estimated cost with renovating the rectory is $1.4 to $1.54 million. With a new 7,500 square foot building, the cost estimate is $2.61 to $2.78 million.
The final part of that site plan is to build a pre-K center on the northwest portion of the property. That building would range from $3.48 to $3.83 million.
Moving away from the church property, Bowman began to outline ways to relieve student crowding â especially at West Elementary and the middle school. The solution is a new fifth-sixth grade facility which would connect to the middle school, but have its own classrooms, gym, music rooms and âcafetoriumâ. Although the price tag would be from $25 to $27.5, Bowman noted this was very preliminary and admitted the building and classrooms could be smaller than what was shown.
The addition of the fifth-sixth grade facility would turn West into a third-fourth grade center and Bowman noted there would be little expense involved. West does have drainage issues which need to be addressed, especially as the playground is currently unusable and roof runoff makes for dangerous conditions.
Carl Riblett, also with BBN, addressed the drainage problems. He said the original thought was to raise the playground. âBut more cost effective is to put swales on the north side and the residential side, forcing the water north to west and then into a storm sewer line. Control the water and get it underground.â Roof runoff would be channeled into the storm system line as well.
Riblett estimated to fix the drainage issues and make the playground right and ADA accessible, would cost $110,000 to $130,000.
Bowman also touched on some possible improvements to Central as there is the possibility of adding on vertically in one area, but had no pricing.
The final piece of the puzzle was the locker room. At the last presentation, BBN had proposed two buildings, but scaled that back to one in this presentation. That also scaled back the number womenâs facilities from 11 to four.
âThatâs not nearly enough,â said Dennis Charbonneau, athletic director. âWe are spending money on port-a-potties now.â Several others agreed, and Bowman promised that would be taken into consideration.
The building would include home and visiting locker rooms, restroom facilities, offices, a meeting room and concessions with a price tag of approximately $1.64 to $1.8 million.
Bowman emphasized that all of the plans and prices were preliminary and just a place for the board to start.
Board member Bruce Coleman asked how many ânew student seatsâ this plan would generate, not including pre-K.
âThatâs a valid question,â Bowman replied. âItâs 40 more kids across all grades.â
âWe were sold a bill of goods on Central,â Coleman said. âIt was supposed to be a 10 to 15 year plan, it lasted two years.â
âOne year,â OâDea put in.
âIt was short sighted, very short sighted,â Coleman continued. âAnd thatâs what Iâm leading up to. What about a new high school where we have property? You will not need to remodel the locker room for example. We looked at $35.9 million in new projects tonight, what would a new high school cost?â
Coleman suggested the following student configuration: 9-12 at a new high school; 6-8 at the current high school, making it a middle school; 4-5 at the current middle school; 2-3 at West;Â K-1 at Central. He also suggested putting the district offices on the second floor of Central.
Bowman, who was not prepared for that suggestion, noted âThatâs an interesting idea. But a new high school is big bucks, $50 million or more.â However he added it would only take a couple of week to âput a numberâ to Colemanâs suggestion.
Hats in School?
District patron Daniel Scott came before the board to protest the âno hats in schoolâ policy. He told board members that his son was very upset he could not wear his hat and that the rule should be changed.
Several board members and WHS Principal Tim Winter attempted to explain the reasoning behind the policy.
Board president Rob Adams thanked Scott for coming and said the board would consider the request.
Approved Travel
The board approved travel request from Tammy Biswell for FCCLA Nationals in November and Spanish teacher Lotus Hazlett for a Spanish Club trip to the Dominican Republic next summer.
