Omak School District

Key Communicator Bulletin No. 12

Aug. 17, 2007

              The Omak School Board has begun the happy task of surveying remaining facility needs and priorities as the district enters the final months of a $21.9 million remodeling project.

              Happy because instead of having to decide what items to cut, the board is looking at adequate funding to include some priorities that were left behind earlier plus new needs that have been identified over the past two years.

              Although the district has a list of needs that go beyond the money available, “I would rather be talking about moving forward with additional items than talking about what we can’t do,” said Superintendent Robert Risinger at the board’s special meeting Aug. 14.

Risinger outlined the history of the high school remodeling project and its funding:

When the district received voter approval of a $9.5 million building bond issue in March 2005, it anticipated $2.9 million in state matching funds. As construction costs soared, it became clear during the early stages of planning, that the combined $12.4 million would not be enough to complete the project that had been presented to voters.

Then, the state Legislature increased school construction funding, and the district designed the project to maximize eligibility for state money. The result was $11.6 million from the state match, combined with $782,000 in investment earnings, for a $21.9 million construction budget.

The project is on time and on budget with all contingencies covered so far. An estimated $1.5 million remains to cover facility needs that weren’t originally included. The board met Aug. 14 with the district’s Facilities Committee, administrators, staff and interested citizens as an initial step toward deciding which additional projects will be funded. At least two more public meetings will be held before decisions are final.

From a list of 18 facility needs, the board identified maintenance and safety-related projects that must be done. They will be funded either with the construction project, the annual maintenance budget or grants. Those, with initial cost estimates, are:

• Repair roofs district-wide ($120,000)
• Repair parking lots district-wide ($25,000)
• Replace light poles at the football field (need and cost uncertain)
• Resurface tennis courts ($20,000)
• Replace floor covering in the Emert Building portion of the Middle School ($50,000)
• Install new Middle School fire alarm ($50,000-$75,000)

Asked to vote on remaining priorities, meeting participants ranked them as follows:

• Performing Arts Center (PAC) upgrade ($198,000) (not including $40,000 from vocational funds and a PAC Foundation grant that will be spent this year)
• (tie) Restroom and concession facilities for the football field ($300,000 to $350,000) and

Additional parking areas for the high school (cost unknown)

4.     New restrooms to serve PAC and Stevens Gym (cost unknown)

5.     Repair, replace bleachers at the football field (cost unknown)

6.     (tie) All-season track (cost unknown), and

        Put aside money to front-fund projects for future state matching money

8.     Technology upgrades district-wide (Note: There was considerable discussion about this with general consensus that technology upgrades should be funded through operating funds and levies instead of bond money)

9.     (tie) Repay an outstanding, low-interest loan that funded HVAC repair four years ago ($400,000), and

        Cover walkways between High School and Middle School ($160,000)

There were no votes for one other item on the list: additional classrooms.

NOTE: The board welcomes your comments and reactions. Please call or e-mail the district office (826-0320) or a board member. This matter will be on the agenda at the board’s regular Aug. 28 meeting.

-- Compiled by Mary Koch