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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-03-04 adjMarch 4, 1987 (Afternoon-Adjourned~Meeting) Page 1 245 An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on March 4, 1987 at 4:00 P.M., Meeting Rooms ~5 & 6, County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. The meeting was adjourned from February 18, 1987. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. F. R. Bowie, Mrs. Patricia H. Cooke, Messrs. Gerald E. Fisher, C. Timothy Lindstrom and Peter T. Way. BOARD MEMBER ABSENT: Mr. J. T. Henley, Jr. OFFICERS PRESENT: County Attorney. Mr. Guy B. Agnor, Jr., County Executive; and Mr. George R. St. John, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Robert E. Taylor, Chairman; Mr. Charles Tolbert; Mr. Charles Armstrong; Mr. Walter Perkins; Mr. John E. Baker; Mr. Edward Bain, Jr.; Mr. Andrew Overstreet, Superintendent; and Mr. David Papenfuse, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Administration. Agenda Item No. 1. Chairman, Mr. Fisher. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 4:03 P.M. by the Agenda Item No. 2. Joint Meeting with School Board. Mr. Fisher announced that the primary purpose of the meeting was to review the status of the building project at Stone-Robinson School. Mr. Agnor asked Mr. Overstreet to make his presentation. Mr. Overstreet said that in addition to the Stone-Robinson project, they want to look at the scope of all the projects. If the scope of any project has changed significantly, then the Board will examine the impact the change will have on funding. He introduced Mr. David Papenfuse who will give data and comparison work and then Mr. Richard Rife, Architect, representing Smithey and Boynton, who will make a presentation. Mr. Papenfuse said that they wanted to discuss the change in scope, why it changed, and the difference between the KDA (Kamstra, Dickinson and Associates) figures and current costs figures. He compared estimates for classroom capacity needs by the KDA consultant's study and the school's planning committee and explained that the planning committee is made up of parents, administrators and teachers. (See report on file in Clerk's office.) Mr. Papenfuse was asked to explain what Chapter 1 Resource is and he asked Mr. John English, Director of Instruction, to do this. Mr. English said the students are not self-contained in a special education program; instead they receive resource help in reading or math and sometimes both, but are mainstreamed into regular classes also. Mr. Way asked about the special education students and where they were attending school, and Mr. Oversteet explained that there are nineteen students who would be attending Stone-Robinson School if there was enough space. Mr. Way asked where they are bused now, and Mr. Overstreet answered that they are sent all over the County. Mr. Fisher asked if the special education classrooms are the same size as other class- rooms so they could be converted if necessary. Mr. Overstreet said that they are required by the State if it is a regular, self-contained special education classroom, to insure that it is a regular size classroom. In some resource programs where the teacher may be working with five or six kids, pulled from a regular classroom, and they come and go, there's no require- ment for that to be a full-size classroom. Quite often they can take a full-size classroom and split it in half or partition it off. Mr. Rife discussed the project construction plans and gave a slide presentation of the Stone-Robinson School. He said that there are more students in the school than the building can hold. He said that there are four portable classrooms and two storage buildings on the site. He discussed the lack of sufficient office space and the small cafeteria area and said the heating plant in the original building is nearing the end of its usefulness. He suggests replacing the heating and air-conditioning throughout the building with one new central plant. He said, though, that the original wing and the addition are both in very good structural condition. The roof is good, the lighting is good, the classrooms are appropri- ately sized and equipped, and the library is large enough to serve the increased population of the school without any expansion. He said, however, that the site is limited; some of it is too steep to be built upon. It is difficult for vehicles to maueuver on the site. Cars and buses compete for space at the front loading and unloading area and sometimes the line extends out into the road and blocks traffic. When buses refuel or service vehicles unload at the cafeteria they have to back up and maneuver around the gas pumps. Children heading for the play area cross the pathway of the large vehicles that are backing up. Mr. Rife described the recommended changes in the parking areas, entrances, etc., and also areas and classrooms inside the school. He said he wanted to stress that the project is 88 square feet per student. The State average last year was 86 square feet per student. Mr. Papenfuse said there are no classrooms in Stone-Robinson large enough to meet State kindergarten standards, because the school was built before kindergarten classes became mandatory. He said they are looking at other than just square footage in this project. Mr. Way asked if the gymnasium and classroom additions are comparable in size to the Broadus Wood and Meriwether Lewis projects. Mr. Rife said they are. Mr. Fisher asked the square footage of the gym. Mr. Papenfuse said this gym is within 120 square feet of the Meriwether Lewis gymnasium. Mr. Fisher said he had heard that the Meriwether Lewis gymnasium was considerably smaller than the one proposed for Stone-Robinson, and he would like to have that verified. Mr. Rife said the configuration is a little differ- ent, but the square footage is comparable. There was discussion about the sizes of the March 4, 1987 (Afternoon-Adjourned Meeting) Page 2 gymnasiums in the Meriwether Lewis and Broadus Wood projects, and Mr. Fisher commented that the gymnasiums must be comparable in order not to create new precedents. Mr. Papenfuse discussed cost comparisons using the State average of $56 a square foot for construction and $25 a square foot for renovation. The difference between the $1,500,000 that was originally anticipated in the KDA study and the $2,700,000 in the current study is not a result of the changes in price, but is in the brick and mortar and square footage. He said that Stone-Robinson may qualify for an additional $1,000,000 and Burley would appear to qualify for $1,200,000 in Literary Fund loans. So, even though they have increased their needs by $1,200,000, they have also identified additional funding of $2,200,000. Mr. Fisher said that is just saying that $1,200,000 more can be borrowed. He asked what project the School Board could defer or do without to cover the cost within a total capital program of $15,000,0007 Mr. Bowie asked if there were any revenue sources that are coming in higher than antici- pated. Mr. Overstreet said in the future, carry-over monies could be put into the Capital Improvement Program. He said they also hope to acquire some revenue through some energy grants. Mr. Fisher asked what would not be funded if the School Board has only $15,000,000 and they still had five major projects to accomplish. Mr. Overstreet said that the School Board would deal with that at their next Board meeting. Between that meeting and their work session, they will debate that and decide about their revisions to the annual update to the Capital Improvements Plan. Mr. Lindstrom said that one of the problems with the Stone-Robinson project is that its budget was built on an estimate that excluded some pretty basic things. He is appalled at the information they got from the study that he was involved in. Mr. Overstreet said that the KDA study essentially addressed the electrical and mechanical functions and conditions of the buildings and calculated some limited population projections and looked at some parity issues. Beyond that they didn't really look at the functional or instructional needs or requirements as far as additional needs or upgrading them. Burley School renovations, however, seem to be right on target. Mr. Way said that they had been totally incorrect on everything concerning Stone-Robinson, including enrollment projections. He said he was never satisfied with the KDA study on Stone-Robinson. Mr. Fisher said the Board has been asked to approve a change in the capital program which will allow the School Board to go forward with this project before the regular review of the capital program this summer. Not knowing what the revenues are going to be, it seems to him to be an impossible task to add on $1,200,000. He asked which project could be deferred until a complete revision of the Capital Improvements Program could be done. He asked if it were reasonable to pull the $1,200,000 out of the Crozet project? Mr. Lindstrom stated that the Capital Improvements Program does not balance in the same sense as the operating budget. He said that as long as the projects are needed and not luxuries, he thinks it's better to go with a somewhat flexible understanding of the Capital Budget. Mr. Bowie asked what the $260,000 for equipment includes. Mr. Rife answered that it is for kitchen equipment, a stage curtain, and the contingency fund. Mr. Bowie then asked if there were any revenue line item in the school budget that will or is anticipated to exceed budget. Mr. Fisher said the answer to that is yes, but they propose to use it next year for operations instead of capital. Mr. Tolbert said that they could probably reduce future projects by $1,200,000 if they tried, but that all of these projects are important, and would still be needed if taken out Row. Mr. Agnor stated that the staff cannot answer cash flow questions because they still do not know what the General Assembly will do about Literary Fund Loans. Mr. Agnor suggests that they produce a report to the Board once they know what the Literary Loan status is. He said the project couldn't be approved at this meeting because it has to re-cycle itself through public hearings with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Mr. Lindstrom said he felt that the School Board had justified the cost of the Stone-Robinson project; there was a problem with funding only because of the bad estimate. He said he is willing to support going forward with the public hearing, if this project can be funded without affecting other projects. Mr. Fisher recommended that the Board take action to set the public hearing and ask the staffs to work together to find out what the resources are going to be. Mr. Bowie moved that the Capital Improvements Program be amended by $1,214,000 in the 1986-87 year to reflect a $1,214,000 increase in the renovation of Stone Robinson Elementary School, authorizing the increase to the amount of $2,714,000, and set the public hearings for March 24, 1987 for the Planning Commission and April 1, 1987 for the Board of Supervisors. By that time, staff is to have a report on the cash flow issue. Mrs. Cooke seconded the motion which was carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Cooke, Messrs. Fisher, Lindstrom and Way. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Mr. Henley. March 4, 1987 (Afternoon-Adjourned Meeting) PaGe 3 247 Mr. Fisher stated that he did not believe Mr. Papenfuse's suggestion that the solution is to borrow another million dollars. He said he does not think that is the right solution, and he hopes it can be done another way. Mr. Bowie asked that School staff look at funds coming in for all budgeted revenue line items. Mr. Overstreet said that the problems with the estimated cost of the Stone-Robinson project uncovered the need to study the scope of the other projects as projected by KDA. report will be ready for the Board soon. A Mr. Fisher asked if anyone had tested the well for quantity to see if it can handle the additional usesage. He asked them to think about this. Mr. Fisher said he had several communications with the Italians and he has learned that the Student Exchange Program is on for this summer, but he still does not have anything in writing. Mayor Buck has asked for an administrator in the County system to work directly with Mr. Ron Hutchinson, so there will be an administrative liaison in addition to Mrs. Marilyn Fantino. Mr. Richard Glowinski's name has been suggested, and he asked that this be considered. He said he presumed that Mr. Agnor's staff would be available to help also. Mr. Fisher asked that the Board be provided with more detailed information on the School Board's budget. He requested a list of salaries for positions broken down by departments and schools. He also requested a projection of the career ladder pay plan over a five year period, year by year, assuming three percent inflation, to show what the base salary and the steps would be and then what the career ladder would look like. Mr. Bowie said that he too wanted more information from the School Board about its budget. He said that all other County divisions gave the Board more detailed information and they need to be provided with a list of salaries for positions broken down by departments and schools, and, also, equipment purchases, etc. Mr. Agnor said that Mr. Overstreet had given him a book with a lot of detailed informa- tion which had been used to do an analysis of their recommendations. He said he would get copies to the Board Members. Mr. Fisher inquired about the Meriwether Lewis School food service equipment. Mr. Taylor replied that food service equipment would be provided at about $90,000 on a lease basis, five year pay-back. Agenda Item No. 3. mentioned. Other Matters Not Listed on the Agenda. There were no other matters Agenda Item No. 4. Adjourn. With no further business to come before the Board, Mr. Fisher adjourned the meeting at 5:15 P.M.