The Conewago Valley school board passed a resolution approving the maximum project cost for the New Oxford Elementary School project and setting the date for an Act 34 public hearing.
Passing the resolution meant approving an Act 34 Maximum Building Construction Cost of $37,416,109 as well as a maximum project cost of $51,741,024.
Anthony Colestock, representing the architectural design firm Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates that is handling the New Oxford and Conewago Township Elementary school projects, also attended the meeting.
Colestock clarified that the total project cost of $51,741,024 is “all-inclusive” while the maximum building construction cost sets the expectation for the new construction portion of the project as well as some design fees and furniture costs.
Board president Jeffrey Kindschuh said the limits do not necessarily represent total spending. Costs for some areas could come in less than anticipated.
Additionally, the board has the ability to go up to 8% higher than the maximum building construction cost without needed another public hearing if estimates come in higher than expected.
“You are approving the estimate and the intent to move forward with the project, right?” Colestock said. “In the event that the actual bids came in higher, you could still move forward with the project for whatever reason, you had money saved or whatever the reason may be. But you are required to go through a second Act 34 hearing if the maximum building construction cost exceeds 8% from what you originally adopted.”
For comparison, Kindschuh said that the Conewago Township Elementary project has gone 0.79% above the amount awarded in the six months the project has been underway.
“It’s a 24-month project,” Kindschuh said. “So we’re somewhere between 20% to 25% complete from a timeline standpoint and we’ve had $26,000 in additional costs. So from that perspective that’s a, you know, we’re 25% through and we’re $25,0000 higher, roughly.”
Colestock said that while the Act 34 booklet puts the project into millage terms and says the project costs about 0.93 mills, it does not necessarily mean the board will have to raise taxes to cover the entire amount. Using the millage equivalent is a legal obligation.
The district had about 0.3 mills already accounted for in the project. Colestock said the remainder could come from tax increases or other methods the board uses to find the money. Not all of the money will need to be paid up-front, allowing the board to ease the costs in over multiple budget cycles.
Superintendent Sharon Perry said the board and public can also keep other project expenses and ongoing costs in mind as budget discussions continue.
In addition to the NOE and CTE projects, Perry said the district is juggling many other financial considerations.
“We get to begin those conversations next month with personnel is when we begin, you know, to look at the staffing plan and have conversations around the positions of where we are in that multi-year staffing plan,” Perry said. “It’s going to be dependent upon how the board responds to the personnel considerations that we plan to bring forward, and then ACTI and also debt service. The other thing, too, is we have other capital needs throughout our district and we have to maintain the facilities that we already have that are not a part of these two renovations and additions projects. We have a lot of work to do across the district.”
The vote for the Act 34 resolution was passed with a split vote, with board members April Swope and William Getz voting against it.
The board also voted to approve donations discussed in a study session held last week.
The donations include a check from the New Oxford Athletic Booster Club for $4,200, which originated from fundraising completed by the baseball team. The New Oxford Legion Baseball Club also donated an additional $1,800. Both donations were intended for the “restoration and maintenance of the (high school) baseball field,” according to the meeting agenda.
Another donation of archery class equipment valued at $250 was made by Marchio’s Sport Hut for the high school PE class.
“I did want to just express the board’s appreciation to the Booster Club and the baseball team as well as to the New Oxford Legion baseball club and Marchio’s Sport Hut for the donations to the athletic facility, specifically the field, and then also to the education equipment,” Kindschuh said. “We appreciate the support that we get from the community as a whole, whether it’s here inside the district or outside the school.”
The board also approved several personnel decisions, which included multiple extracurricular activity assignments for the high school musical, including the choreographer, musical technical director and set construction coordinator, and pit band members. Several coach appointments for baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, track, soccer, cross country and tennis were also approved.
Dr. Wesley Doll, assistant superintendent for the district, said the district was recently monitored for the Pennsylvania Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness program.
Doll said the evaluation appeared to go well. One metric for the monitoring includes how well the district utilizes connections within the district to direct those in need to resources, and Doll said the monitor appeared pleased.
Doll said the addition of a social worker to the district has helped the district provide those resources to students.
Superintendent Sharon Perry said the Joint Operating Committee (JOC) for the Adams County Technical Institute is still making progress towards preparing for a new building.
“At this point, the joint operating committee is reviewing and working with a real estate agent on two projects that seem to have risen,” Perry said. “Based upon that review, they may or may not go back to other pieces of property that they previously considered. All in, there have been approximately 14 properties that the JOC has studied. They’re anxiously awaiting to make a decision based upon all the information since there are monies that are set aside that would help offset some of the cost for a land purchase.”
Perry also recognized each board director with a certificate for School Directors Recognition Month.
The board held an executive session to review personnel and legal issues before holding the open meeting.
A study session will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2 in the district office.
A regular board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9 in the district office.
The Act 34 public hearing will be held in the cafeteria of New Oxford Elementary School from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12.
