East Lyme boards begin initial review of schools project
East Lyme — Members of the education, selectmen and finance boards met Wednesday for an initial review of an estimated $35.82 million proposal to alter the town's three aging elementary schools.
Town officials asked questions about contingency funds, security upgrades, items eligible for state reimbursement and the process for overseeing construction costs at the meeting at Lillie B. Haynes School that preceded any formal votes on the proposal.
Architect Al Jacunski outlined to the officials the alterations for the three schools that include new air-conditioning systems, upgraded security and Wi-Fi, handicap-accessible bathroom fixtures and new paint, flooring, light fixtures and doors, drinking fountains and laptop carts.
The proposal includes upgrades specific to each school, including a new roof at Flanders Elementary School, a new site layout that reconfigures the drop-off area and increases parking at Lillie B. Haynes, and exterior masonry work and upgrades to the gymnasium at Niantic Center School, according to the presentation. The fish on the outside of Niantic Center School most likely will have to come down, Jacunski said.
The LEARN wing at Lillie B. Haynes will not be included in the project.
Ken Biega, assistant vice president of O&G Industries, presented conceptual design estimates that come in at $35.82 million, including contingency.
Some items have extra money built into them to accommodate potential issues that could arise during construction. For example, a high water table could pose an issue to the Lillie B. Haynes site reconfiguration, so money has been built into that item's cost estimate to accommodate the issue, if it should occur, according to Biega's presentation.
A few items, like upgrades for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, would be eligible for some state reimbursement, according to Wednesday's presentation. A meeting is scheduled for Jan. 24 with state officials to get a clearer picture of eligible items.
Town officials also discussed the Town Building Committee's role in overseeing the project's budget during construction.
The Town Building Committee would provide regular reports to town officials during construction, First Selectman Mark Nickerson said.
Board of Education Chairman Tim Hagen explained the board's rationale for maintaining three schools. He said that when the board first began planning about five years ago to renovate the schools, projections indicated that future elementary student enrollment would drop below 800 students and not support the need for three schools.
But East Lyme has started to see an uptick in both birth rates and families moving into the district, he said. Projections now indicate elementary enrollment could stand at about 1,000 students in 2022, or likely no fewer than 900 and no greater than 1,100.
Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Newton said rebuilding the schools or renovating them "as new" would not be a "fiscally prudent option," given the town's debt service at this time, the state's budget woes and constraints on the schools' operating budget.
Community presentations are scheduled for 6 p.m. next week on Tuesday and Thursday at East Lyme High School, while the school board could vote later this month to forward the proposal to the selectmen.
If the three boards approve the proposal, a referendum could be held in March. Construction, expected to take 14 months, could begin in June 2018.
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