School board moves forward on High school renovations
Zach White
The Havre school board will move forward with renovations to Havre High School’s weight training area and locker rooms.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Rodney Blake presented a report from the consulting engineering firm Thomas, Dean & Hoskins Inc. on the costs and challenges of proposed construction projects.
Superintendent Andy Carlson preceded the presentation, telling the board that the district needs to carefully choose which projects to undertake.
“I will tell you up front that we do not have enough money to do everything we are talking about, ” Carlson said.
He continued, saying that this is the last year of funding for the high school’s building reserve, and if any money is needed after it’s gone, the district would have to “go to the voters. ”
The presentation outlined five projects, some of which were related. With engineering and contingency costs, the projects would end up costing a total of $1.7 million.
The first project is the construction of a new weight training room off of the side of gymnasium. This would also include a two-tiered equipment storage room and a small office.
A separate project proposed re-purposing the existing weight training room as a new locker room for the school’s boys sports teams.
The third idea was the renovation of the existing boys gym class locker room.
And the last two were to renovate the athletics and gym locker rooms for the Havre High School girls.
Carlson said the boys locker rooms were higher priorities, because they need a lot more work.
The report said that the current cost esitmates were based on a timeline of construction taking place between six and nine months. Any sooner or later would end with the project costing more money.
The board spent a few minutes discussing whether or not to support the administration in pursuing these projects.
Norman Proctor asked whether, at these prices, it might be better to think about building a new high school. The current building is more than 50 years old.
“The mind certainly goes there, ” Board Chairman Lee Christianson said.
After a moment of contemplation, Vice Chair Aileen Couch brought minds elsewhere, asking “what about the elementary school buildings? ”
She explained that most of the elementary schools are older than the high school, and are currently “bursting at the seams. ”
Carlson responded that the point is moot, since the money under discussion is allocated solely for high school projects.
Shortly after the end of new building construction discussion, the board voted to move forward and told the engineering consultants to come back in about six weeks with more finalized plans.
The Havre school board will move forward with renovations to Havre High School’s weight training area and locker rooms.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Rodney Blake presented a report from the consulting engineering firm Thomas, Dean & Hoskins Inc. on the costs and challenges of proposed construction projects.
Superintendent Andy Carlson preceded the presentation, telling the board that the district needs to carefully choose which projects to undertake.
“I will tell you up front that we do not have enough money to do everything we are talking about, ” Carlson said.
He continued, saying that this is the last year of funding for the high school’s building reserve, and if any money is needed after it’s gone, the district would have to “go to the voters. ”
The presentation outlined five projects, some of which were related. With engineering and contingency costs, the projects would end up costing a total of $1.7 million.
The first project is the construction of a new weight training room off of the side of gymnasium. This would also include a two-tiered equipment storage room and a small office.
A separate project proposed re-purposing the existing weight training room as a new locker room for the school’s boys sports teams.
The third idea was the renovation of the existing boys gym class locker room.
And the last two were to renovate the athletics and gym locker rooms for the Havre High School girls.
Carlson said the boys locker rooms were higher priorities, because they need a lot more work.
The report said that the current cost esitmates were based on a timeline of construction taking place between six and nine months. Any sooner or later would end with the project costing more money.
The board spent a few minutes discussing whether or not to support the administration in pursuing these projects.
Norman Proctor asked whether, at these prices, it might be better to think about building a new high school. The current building is more than 50 years old.
“The mind certainly goes there, ” Board Chairman Lee Christianson said.
After a moment of contemplation, Vice Chair Aileen Couch brought minds elsewhere, asking “what about the elementary school buildings? ”
She explained that most of the elementary schools are older than the high school, and are currently “bursting at the seams. ”
Carlson responded that the point is moot, since the money under discussion is allocated solely for high school projects.
Shortly after the end of new building construction discussion, the board voted to move forward and told the engineering consultants to come back in about six weeks with more finalized plans.
