Possible Referendum Projects School District of the Chathams - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Possible Referendum Projects

School District of the Chathams 2014/2015

Purpose of this Presentation

• 1. To outline projects identified over the past year

by the Board of Education as POTENTIAL referendum projects.

• 2. To provide background regarding WHY these

projects have been considered.

• 3. To more fully discuss and assess the projects.

Note

• All projects that follow have been the subject of

discussion; no firm decision has yet been made about them, and they are all subject to modification or elimination.

Why Now?

• These projects have been discussed for many years.
• There are some financial factors that make

consideration of a referendum attractive now:

▫ Interest rates are very low. ▫ SDOC enjoys a AAA credit-rating as a result of many years of solid financial practices. ▫ SDOC is in the process of refunding (akin to refinancing) current debt; a savings of $3 million in payments will be realized and annual tax payments will be lowered. ▫ The bond from the 1995 referendum that expanded the Lafayette Avenue School will come to term at the end

• f this fiscal year.

Potential Project # 1: Renovate the Chatham High School Auditorium

• Facility dates to 1976, built for Chatham

Township High School.

• Facility has not been materially improved in

nearly 40 years.

• Current seating capacity is +/- 700.
• Flooring, seating, wall coverings, stage, etc., are

all in rough shape.

• Facility is not ADA-compliant; no seating

available for persons with disabilities

Duct tape holding seats together

Broken seat replaced with folding chair

Torn acoustical wall covering

Stairs to stage; torn acoustical wall covering; duct tape holding down wiring

Set construction taking place on stage

Storage in and around hallways

CHS Auditorium—Two Options

• Option One: Renovate the facility so that is a

modern and high-caliber space

▫ Cost = $2.9 million - $3.4 million ▫ Problem = loss of seating capacity due to ADA requirements ▫ Problem = not possible to enlarge the facility ▫ Problem = not possible to gain storage or set space

CHS Auditorium, Aerial View

CHS Auditorium—Two Options

• Option Two: Renovate the facility so that it can

accommodate curricular program and school assemblies

▫ Cost = $900,ooo

Potential Project # 2: Construct a New Auditorium in the Unused Field at the CMS Circle

• Facility could serve as venue for all musical,

theatrical and other productions in the district.

• Starting with a blank slate provides more
• ptions in terms of functions.
• A new facility allows space for set construction

and storage.

• A new facility could be attractive to rent to
• utside groups.

Chatham Middle School

Current Auditorium

Potential Project # 2: Construct a New Auditorium in the Unused Field at the CMS Circle

• Cost = $12.5 million

Potential Project # 3: Convert the Current Middle School Auditorium into Instructional and Office Space

• Better support the CMS curricular program long

term with:

▫ A design and technology/robotics lab ▫ Two computer labs

• Create office space so that the Board of Education
• ffices can be housed in the center of the district

▫ Would eliminate the roughly $100,000 per year in rent and utilities currently expended

• Create community-oriented space

▫ A flexible space to be used by outside groups

Potential Project # 3: Convert the Current Middle School Auditorium into Instructional and Office Space

• Cost = $3.4 million

Potential Project # 4: Upgrade Facilities at Cougar Field

• Bleachers are not ADA-compliant nor up to

current standards and code.

• Parking has never been professionally designed.
• Fencing and pavement are aged.
• Concessions stand is not up to code and is aged.

Potential Project # 4: Upgrade Facilities at Cougar Field

• Cost - $1.4 million

Potential Project # 5: Install New Turf Fields behind the High School

• Fields were damaged in original high school

expansion construction in 2001-2003.

• Fields are not properly graded.
• Fields are not as widely usable as those at

Cougar or Haas because they are made of natural grass.

Potential Project # 5: Install New Turf Fields behind the High School

• Cost = $4.5 million

Five Potential Projects

Borough Township ($661,262) ($762,196) $12,489,000 $88.67 $99.91 $3,382,500 $24.02 $27.06 $910,000 $6.46 $7.28 $4,530,000 $32.16 $36.24 $1,429,000 $10.15 $11.43 $22,740,500 $161.46 $181.92 Auditorium Renovation at CHS Cougar Field Renovations Sub-total improvements Turf Fields at CHS Projects Estimated Estimated Preliminary Tax Impact Per Average Home New Auditorium at CMS Auditorium Conversion at CMS Cost

**The above figures are preliminary estimates ***The average tax impacts include the savings to be realized from the refunding of the district’s current debt.

Five Potential Projects

• The five projects described above do not carry

significant operating costs, other than energy and custodial/maintenance services.

• These costs would be largely offset by the

savings from moving the Board Offices.

• Therefore, they represent capital investments to

be paid off over 20 years.

Additional Potential Project under Consideration: Expansion of Elementary Schools

• 2-classroom addition to WAS
• 2-classroom addition to SBS
• 4-classroom addition to MAS

Potential Project # 6: Expansion of Elementary Schools

• Elementary schools are at maximum capacity

now.

• There is currently insufficient space to optimally

deliver certain programs.

• Expanding the facilities will enable us to

consider additional programming in the future, such as:

▫ Full-day kindergarten ▫ Additional special education programs

Potential Project # 6: Expansion of Elementary Schools

• Cost = $5 million

Six Potential Projects

Borough Township ($661,262) ($762,196) $12,489,000 $88.67 $99.91 $3,382,500 $24.02 $27.06 $910,000 $6.46 $7.28 $4,530,000 $32.16 $36.24 $1,429,000 $10.15 $11.43 $22,740,500 $161.46 $181.92 MAS Addition (4 classrooms) $2,435,000 $17.29 $19.48 SBS Addition (2 classrooms) $1,484,000 $10.54 $11.87 WAS Addition (2 classrooms) $1,116,000 $7.92 $8.93 $5,035,000 $35.75 $40.28 $27,775,500 $197.21 $222.20 Grand Total Turf Fields at CHS Auditorium Conversion at CMS Auditorium Renovation at CHS Cougar Field Renovations Sub-total improvements Sub-total additions Projects Estimated Tax Impact Per Average Home Cost New Auditorium at CMS *Figures above represent preliminary estimates

Potential Next Steps

• Additional discussion by the Board of Education
• Refinement/modification/consideration of

projects

• If the Board were to move forward:

▫ Additional input from stakeholders ▫ More detailed plans from architect ▫ Plan for community outreach/referendum campaign