The 20-member Merger Committee reviewed Facilities study data last week, learning of costs pending for school repairs in both Westport Central and Elizabethtown-Lewis Central schools. Cost analysis included needs in both districts for bus garage repairs.
Photo by Kim Dedam
WESTPORT |The Westport and Elizabethtown-Lewis Central Merger Committee discussed school buildings, repairs and compared need in both districts at the October meeting last week.
Consultants from Castallo & Silky contrasted current school building aid ratios and calculated how a merged district would fare in new building aid.
Building aid is an incentive in a merger, consultant Alan Pole said of New York’s effort to encourage shared school districts.
A merged district would earn an additional 30 percent on top of the higher district’s selected building aid.
With ELCS at 69.3 percent building aid and WCS at 65.3 percent, it puts the aid ratio at the maximum near 90.1 percent, Pole said of their projections.
Pole presented architect’s costs for a new building as an example. A new combined school facility to encompass the joined student body of about 456 students in grades kindergarten through 12 — for purposes of example only — would cost the three-town district approximately $50 million.
The state, Pole said, would pay 90 percent of that cost if the schools merged and the plan was developed and implemented within 10 years of the merger date.
New construction, he said, does not have to be specifically an entire school building K through 12, but could also apply to a bus garage, a separate science/math or gymnasium or sports facility.
New construction also covers renovations to existing buildings, Pole said.
Both school districts have similar figures encompassing work that currently needs to be done, according to the state’s required five-year Building Condition Survey (BCS), which reflects the “minimum work needed to maintain the schools and keep them operational, but does not address other educational improvements.”
In Westport, the BCS reports $1.2 million in repairs needed, including $120,000 for a new roof that was built in 1954 and $50,000 for site sanitary replacement.
In Elizabethtown, the BCS shows just nearly $1.2 million in repairs, including $150,000 for a new roof and $192,000 to replace exterior walls/columns. Some of the emergency work included in the BCS report was completed late last year under emergency order.
In addition to routine repair assessment, WCS has set priorities for capital work on a list of items that would benefit school educational programs.
The eight items highlighted in Westport’s (wish list) report total $1.3 million and include $350,000 to replace the school’s 1930’s vintage science labs and another $200,00 to replace the school’s 1930’s vintage technology shops.
ELCS is working on a similar “wish list,” Pole said, itemizing priorities for improvements to classroom programs.
Similar to building repair costs, both ELCS and WCS have deteriorating bus garage facilities.
Repairs at the ELCS garage, which has “significant deterioration,” according to state reports, are estimated at about $1 million.
Repairs at the WCS garage, which is “severely deteriorated,” according to state reports, are estimated to be just under $600,000.
Neither school has its own complete set of athletic fields, the consultants review indicates, although the combined Westport-Elizabethtown-Lewis Griffins’ soccer program has been able to utilize the fields at Camp Dudley for its regulation play.
Again, existing facilities at both schools are similar with relatively new gymnasiums and baseball fields.
The $50 million projected for a new school, Pole said, includes two soccer fields, baseball facilities and a swimming pool.
“We’re not suggesting it’s a good idea. We’re not suggesting it’s a bad idea,” Pole said of the idea to build a new school.
The 90 percent state building aid also applies to repairs or facility expansion.
The current state of school facilities’ needs and estimated costs weighed against 90 percent state aid in a merger drew much conversation among the 20 committee members. It also drew questions from the dozen or so community members in attendance.
“I don’t think this is going to be any small part of anyone’s decision,” committee member Paul Buehler said.
Buehler, a physical education instructor and athletic director at ELCS, expressed his observations over 20 years teaching and coaching teams both at ELCS and for merged programs.
“Between these two school (and he said he has been to 100 schools), if 10 was the best (rated), we are around a 1 or a 2.”
Despite community work efforts, he said “We are still not keeping pace and thank God for Camp Dudley. I hope that this is a major consideration in this (merger review process).”
Committee members asked about existing district debt, a topic which Pole said will be covered at the February meeting.
But in response, he said existing debt for a combined district is aided at the higher of the previous school districts.
Committee member Ryan Hathaway, of Westport, asked if the state “puts any weight into (building aid) if we put money into the existing buildings first?”
“I’ve never heard of the state saying you can’t build a new school (after repairs). Incentive building aid is good for 10 years,” Pole said.
Westport businessman Sam Sherman asked if the state provides aid for demolition of buildings, should a school be left unused.
“Yes,” Pole answered.
The importance of each building in each community was highlighted by a tally of groups that use them.
Consultants found community groups, including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, area fire departments, Essex County Emergency Services, Essex County 4-H, youth commissions in all three towns, Elizabethtown Social Center, Adirondack Community Action Programs, the American Red Cross are among more than 20 groups that use the buildings.
As to an immediate use of the buildings, Pole said their study looks at a plan to keep elementary schools in each community.
Westport kindergarten to Grade 6 students would stay in Westport, and ELCS elementary children would stay in Elizabethtown, he said of the template, which can be altered.
The combined middle school would be located at the Westport facility with high school students attending classes in Elizabethtown.
Pole said this template does not necessarily have to make a final recommendation. And he reiterated that merged schools have 10 years to utilize the state’s building aid assistance boost.
TO FIND OUT MORE:
WCS/ELCS Merger Committee discussions continue on Dec. 6 with a review of Transportation needs and costs in each district.
School superintendents Scott Osborne, at ELCS, and A. Paul Scott, at WCS said any civic, church, volunteer, athletic, veteran, town or other community organization in Lewis, Elizabethtown or Westport that would like to have a member of the committee speak at an upcoming meeting can call them at the schools.
There is no meeting in November due to the Thanksgiving holiday and break.
Upcoming meetings continue through April.
Dec. 6 is the Transportation data report, held at ELCS.
Jan. 24 is the Staffing data report, held at WCS.
Feb. 28 is the Finances data report, held at ELCS.
April 25 is the Summary of Review Findings and a discussion on the Draft Final Report, held at WCS.
All meeting begin at 6
All pages of the meeting presentations held to date are available on the Westport and ELCS school websites along with notes from each meeting.
