WCS Mulls Building Storage Facilities
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
But new code requirements are delaying any action to be taken on the storage buildings' construction.
The buildings would be located at the new Madison and Leesburg schools and the renovated and improved Jefferson and Claypool schools.
According to School Board Vice President Dan Robinson Tuesday afternoon, sealed bids were received for the buildings. They were opened during a public meeting, and 25 contractors were in the room.
The board has not made a decision on the buildings or the awarding of contracts.
Thursday afternoon, Warsaw Community Schools Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said, "At this point, the storage buildings are on hold for further discussion. We will return to the facilities committee to talk about the bid results and where we head from here. One thing that came into play is, because of the square footage being above a certain threshhold, I believe it's 500, new code requirements come into play. That is having a bearing on it."
He said the facilities committee will meet and discuss the issue in April.
State law prohibits gas-powered equipment, like snowblowers and lawnmowers, from being stored in a school building. The purpose of the storage buildings, Robinson said, is to store that equipment.
When the original drawings for the school buildings were drawn up, the storage buildings were part of the project. However, when the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance cut about $5 million from the project, the storage buildings were some of the items cut out of the project at that time to save money.
"We were afraid we could not do it all. As it turned out, (the project) came in under budget," Robinson said.
With the tax rate already set and the school corporation already having the bond money, it was decided that the storage buildings would be added back in. Robinson said they made sure the needs of the kids were met first before the storage buildings were added back in.
If the school corporation didn't add the storage buildings back in now, and the bonds were closed out, Robinson said, in the future the school corporation would have to take the money out of the Capital Projects Fund to pay for the storage buildings. The state already is cutting money out of all schools' funding there.
A caller to the Times-Union questioned Robinson's company bidding on the projects since he is on the school board.
Robinson's business, Robinson Construction, was the low bid on three of the four storage buildings. His company went through the bidding process just like all the others, Robinson said.
"It was a public bid opening," said Robinson. He later added, "It was handled pretty normal."
As a board member, Robinson abstains from voting on a motion when his business bids on a school project.
Robinson said it's really frustrating when his company is the lowest bidder, only to have attorneys and other contractors cause a fuss about his business making bids.
"My employees seem to be penalized. It's really frustrating. My guys work here and pay taxes here," he said, while the companies from out of county bidding on the projects don't.[[In-content Ad]]
But new code requirements are delaying any action to be taken on the storage buildings' construction.
The buildings would be located at the new Madison and Leesburg schools and the renovated and improved Jefferson and Claypool schools.
According to School Board Vice President Dan Robinson Tuesday afternoon, sealed bids were received for the buildings. They were opened during a public meeting, and 25 contractors were in the room.
The board has not made a decision on the buildings or the awarding of contracts.
Thursday afternoon, Warsaw Community Schools Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said, "At this point, the storage buildings are on hold for further discussion. We will return to the facilities committee to talk about the bid results and where we head from here. One thing that came into play is, because of the square footage being above a certain threshhold, I believe it's 500, new code requirements come into play. That is having a bearing on it."
He said the facilities committee will meet and discuss the issue in April.
State law prohibits gas-powered equipment, like snowblowers and lawnmowers, from being stored in a school building. The purpose of the storage buildings, Robinson said, is to store that equipment.
When the original drawings for the school buildings were drawn up, the storage buildings were part of the project. However, when the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance cut about $5 million from the project, the storage buildings were some of the items cut out of the project at that time to save money.
"We were afraid we could not do it all. As it turned out, (the project) came in under budget," Robinson said.
With the tax rate already set and the school corporation already having the bond money, it was decided that the storage buildings would be added back in. Robinson said they made sure the needs of the kids were met first before the storage buildings were added back in.
If the school corporation didn't add the storage buildings back in now, and the bonds were closed out, Robinson said, in the future the school corporation would have to take the money out of the Capital Projects Fund to pay for the storage buildings. The state already is cutting money out of all schools' funding there.
A caller to the Times-Union questioned Robinson's company bidding on the projects since he is on the school board.
Robinson's business, Robinson Construction, was the low bid on three of the four storage buildings. His company went through the bidding process just like all the others, Robinson said.
"It was a public bid opening," said Robinson. He later added, "It was handled pretty normal."
As a board member, Robinson abstains from voting on a motion when his business bids on a school project.
Robinson said it's really frustrating when his company is the lowest bidder, only to have attorneys and other contractors cause a fuss about his business making bids.
"My employees seem to be penalized. It's really frustrating. My guys work here and pay taxes here," he said, while the companies from out of county bidding on the projects don't.[[In-content Ad]]
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