By William J. Kemble
news@freemanonline.com
KINGSTON >> Several school district trustees are still looking for answers about why they weren’t told sooner that a $137.5 million plan to renovate and expand Kingston High School will require extending a construction schedule by five years.
In the two days following the first public presentation about the new schedule, trustees were trying to absorb information about how state limits on aid never got their attention.
“In August of 2013, the state adopted a new regulation that’s called a ‘maximum cost allowance,'” said consultant Armand Quadrini, of KSQ Architects. “The essence of this regulation is to cap the amount of dollars a district can invest in a single school in any five-year period. … In September 2013 the state came out with clarifications on that regulation.”
Quadrini did not explain how the limits – which will cap Kingston to $95 million for the high school project through 2018 – were not brought to taxpayers attention before voters approved a December 2013 proposition by a little less than 200 votes.
Residents had been told that the project involving 420,000 square feet of new and renovated space would be completed by the September 2018 opening of classes. The revised schedule calls for only a 360,000 square feet renovated area with the majority of the work still being completed in 2018, but some construction still going on through 2023.
Quadrini said he had delayed telling officials about the additional five years until he was sure what parts of the project would be put in each phase.
Board President Nora Scherer said the information had not been provided to the facilities steering committee in advance of a presentation to trustees. She added that while it is disappointing that the change was not known sooner that it is important to her that the most critical areas of work will be done first.
“I think that what we can’t lose sight of is that the majority of the project is being delivered on time,” she said.
Scherer said learning when consultants realized that another five years is necessary for the project was “something the board would want to know” but did not ask during the presentation last week.
“The architects and construction management firms are the ones who would be visiting state [Education Department officials] so I can’t give you an exact date,” Scherer said. “The superintendent may be able to.”
Quadrini said that while the project will involve a smaller scope of work that a revised estimate won’t be developed until costs are evaluated for the second phase after 2018.
“If we were to go out to bid for the whole project now as originally anticipated that 60,000 square feet plus a lot of simplifications to the site work would result in about a five percent reduction in the overall bond cost,” he said. “We are not able to commit those dollars back to the school district at this point because there will be escalation on the secondary phase. … It would be premature to suggest that there will definitely be a savings at this point.”
Trustee James Shaughnessy following the presentation was still upset that it took 18 months before the public was told how the state regulations would impact the project.
“I guess I can understand it when he explains it but I just think that the board should have known about it far earlier,” he said.
“I can understand that there’s a delay in understanding what a new regulation means, but I think it was clear that it was known to some people involved in this project before it was brought to the board … and probably well before,” Shaughnessy said. “I think some people with the administration and some people on the board perhaps.”
Superintendent Paul Padalino was not available Thursday or Friday for comment about the project.
Shaughnessy added that he would like more information on what happened to reduce the size of the project but was doubtful whether his concerns would be taken seriously.
“He [Quadrini] says it wasn’t necessarily in instructional areas but I’ve been at odds about the size of the project ever since June of 2013,” he said.
Trustee James Michael also questioned how the board could not be told about the additional five years needed for the project.
“It got me by surprise,” he said. “Five years is a long time really. I always expect a delay of a year or two but to drag it out for five years is too long.”
Trustee Danielle Guido, who was not on the board when the project was approved, was absent during the presentation. However, when contacted after the meeting acknowledged that she had gotten information about the changes only during the past week.
“I agree that it’s a very big difference and that information should have been provided … before we [the public] were able to vote on it,” she said. “I believe the changes still need to be made and the renovations still need to be done so I don’t think it would have changed the way the board would have voted. But it doesn’t seem fair for us to vote on a timeline that wasn’t accurate.”
Guido said there are other questions about how consultants provided information.
“I had already heard about changing the scope of the project due to issue with aid and not investigating whether things were aidable, like the huge glass walkway and a lot of public commons spaces that were not aidable,” she said. “It makes sense for use to refuse projects that we’re not going to be reimbursed for, but it definitely seems as though for such a large-scope project the information could have been more expediently and accurately provided.”
Related content
“Kingston school board agrees to consider labor deal for KHS renovation project,” March 26, 2015
“Kingston High School renovation delayed and reduced in size, but cost is unchanged,” March 25, 2015
“Kingston school board halts consideration of union pact for high school renovation,” Dec. 10, 2014
“Kingston Board of Education ponders pact with unions for high school renovations,” Nov. 19, 2014
“Kingston school trustees consider labor pact governing high school renovation,” Oct. 2, 2014
“Kingston school trustees euphoric over high school renovation project vote,” Dec. 11, 2013
“Kingston High School renovation plan approved by narrow margin,” Dec. 10, 2013
