Haverling school board begins scrutiny of new capital project
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - Representatives of Hunt Engineers Thursday reviewed a wide-ranging, $20- million list of potential construction projects with the Haverling school board, based on a lengthy Building Condition Survey prepared by the school district.

A district-wide vote on the new capital project could be held as early as October of this year.

Board members and school administrators agreed to ramp up their future meeting schedule to work through the list of possible projects. "Some are not top priority," said school Superintendent Marion Tunney at the conclusion of the meeting. "We're going to go through this list and make determinations."

If approved by district voters, the capital project would follow a $51 million capital project that began in 2000.

Key to the new capital project would be the use of state EXCEL funds, which the Legislature approved as a means of lowering the local cost of school construction projects.

The bulk of the cost of Haverling's eventual project - about 93 percent, according to financial consultant Bernard Donegan - would be reimbursed through state building aid. Elements of the project could include new roofs where necessary, kitchen renovations and improved ventilation.

Donegan, however, warned board members the combination of building aid and EXCEL funds would not cover every item on the list of potential projects compiled by Hunt. The list includes AstroTurf for the main football field and renovating outdoor restrooms at the athletic facilities, none of which are eligible for EXCEL aid, Donegan said, noting EXCEL funds may be used only on projects that address:

+ Educational technology

+ Health and safety issues

+ Accessibility for handicapped individuals

+ Some physical expansion of school facilities

+ Energy conservation Donegan also warned board members it is "virtually impossible" for a district to escape any local share of a capital project, in spite of the availability of EXCEL funds.

The Haverling school district, he noted, qualifies for nearly $1.5 million in EXCEL monies. Additional state building aid, he said, reimburses the district 93.5 cents for every dollar eligible for reimbursement.

Board President William von Hagn proposed board members begin meeting twice a month in March, using the first meeting of each month to concentrate on the outlines of the capital project. Those meetings will be public, although the school district will make formal public presentations once the final scope of the project is determined.

Tunney noted the availability of the EXCEL funds presents the district with an excellent opportunity to develop a new capital project at a low local cost. But those funds may not always be available, she warned.

"I don't want the district to lose out," she told the board.