District 95 Spends $500,000 on Technology, Discusses Fate of $2.6 Million Overage

The District 95 board discussed where to spend a projected budgetary overage of $3.1 million dollars for the 2011 fiscal year, and gave Crystal Steker, director of technology, the green light to spend $500,000 at the Board of Education meeting, Thursday, April 28.

“We already have bids out and priced everything,” Steker said. The $500,000 will be spent on:

• District - Projectors and document cameras - $219,650
• High School - Network Upgrade - $258,000
• District - Devices – laptops, iPads, iPods, and tablets - $22,350

The $20,000 cost of installation for the technology is already worked into the pricing.

Jeff King, former assistant superintendent of business and operations and Michael Engel, interim assistant superintendent of business and operations, were able to set aside 3.1 million dollars from this past year.

"Strict financial management and controlling spending has allowed us to withhold 3.1 million dollars," Engel said.

After looking at a two-tier plan presented by Superintendent Michael J. Egan, the board discussed how to spend the $3.1 million projected budgetary overage.

“I recommend we spend only $2 million and put it towards the tier-1 plan,” Egan said.

The Tier 1 Plan

Facilities

• Seth Paine – Kindergarten Door - $10,000
• Sarah Adams – Add Egress door for second kindergarten room/binding doors  - $15,000
• Middle School South – Repair/Replace Binding Doors - $10,000
• High School – Replace/add doors for proper egress per Life Safety Report - $150,000
• High School – Replace door hardware per Life Safety Report - $50,000
• District – Asbestos Abatement SP/MW/HS Child Development - $45,000
• Isaac Fox – Replace brick paver walkway causing trip hazards - $30,000
• Middle School North – Replace concrete causing trip hazards - $50,000
• May Whitney – New playground for early childhood  - $175,000

Total = $535,000

Technology

• Projectors and document scanners - $219,650
• Network Upgrade - $258,000
• Devices – laptops, iPads, iPods, and tablets - $22,350

Total = $500,000

May Whitney

• Abatement and Demolition - $650,00
• Site Refurbishing - $350,000

Total = $1,000,000

Tier 1 Total = $2,035,000

The Tier 2 Plan

Facilities

• Sarah Adams/Seth Paine/Isaac Fox – Playgrounds – replace perimeter wood timbers and aging equipment - $150,000
• High School – Stadium – repairs to home bleachers and press box - $15,000
• High School – Recomissioning of HVAC units - $150,000
• District – Begin integration of building automation systems - $150,000

Total = $465,000

Technology

• Middle School North/Middle School South – Network Upgrade - $300,000
• Professional Development Center – Back up generator - $125,000
• District – Devices – laptops, iPads, iPods, and tablets - $75,000

Total = 500,000

Tier 2 Total = $965,000

“The elephant in the room is the May Whitney demo,” said John Kropf, board vice-president. “There is a window of opportunity to get it done at this point in time.”

The projected bid amounts for the demolition of May Whitney came into question.

“Three hundred, fifty thousand dollars seems like a high number for the site refurbishing,” said Doug Goldberg, board member. “Is it possible that this number could go down?”

It was suggested that grass seed be used instead of putting down asphalt or concrete in place of the old section of May Whitney.

“The cost could go down, but there is currently no infastructure for draining, but it could be graded smooth where water runs off, away from the building,” explained Fred Schuster, architect from District 95’s architectural firm, RuckPate Architecture.

Schuster recommended to keep between $50,000 - $100,000 for site refurbishing.

“We need to ask the administration to get firm bids about the demo and site refurbishing,” Goldberg said.

“I don’t want to take a cushion ($350,000 site refurbishing cost) away,” said Kathy Brown, board president.

The board agreed to re-visit the demolition of May Whitney after the administration gets firm bids on the project.

“We can take additional money from the demo of May Whitney if it comes under and we could spend it on technology in Tier 2,” said Jim Burke, board member.

The board also addressed the facilities needs in Tier 1.

“The life safety stuff should be knocked out, “said Goldberg.

“Early childhood really needs that playground, they’ve waited long enough,” said Kathleen Wallis, board secretary.

The board agreed to make final decisions once bids come back in and the amount of the budgetary overage is final.

“If we get $3.1 million we are saying thumbs up for spending 2 million, barring there is no financial emergency in the next month,” Brown said.