Broadwater Task Force - November 10, 2008

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Broadwater Task Force

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

November 10, 2008

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Broadwater Task Force of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, held a Neighborhood Meeting at Broadwater Elementary School, Billings, Montana, on Monday, November 10, 2008. Chair Julie Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance. Committee members present were: Nate Allie, Sheryl Alpers, Julie Anderson, Weldon Birdwell, Jodi Cockburn, Dennis Deppmeier, Jon Dyre, Jim Hartung, Jason Jam, Wendy Jam, Karin Lucas, Travis Niemeyer, Gary Romei, and Rachel Romei. Members absent were: Eric Anderson and LuAnn Birdwell. Also present were Ex-Officio Members Lee Kvilhaug and Kathy Aragon, and Architects Karen Kelly, Bob LaPerle, Keith Rupert, and Kristine Keller. Neighborhood members present were Wade Gilsdorf, Dee Egeland, Jon Egeland, Kristina Stiles, Jerry Hansen, Nathan Schmitz, Bruce Simon, Diann Kramer, Carol Haskins, Erin Pehl, Abby Hinthorne, Lindsey Sulser, Andrew Sulser, Mike Curtis, Tami O’Neill, Pam Dimich, Ron Wolf, Andria Wolf, Bobbi Dolan, Kelly Starr, April Logolo, Becky Shay, and Suzanne Bressler.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Julie Anderson introduced herself to the audience and gave a brief overview of the Broadwater Task Force Committee, its purpose, and what the Committee has been doing. Julie explained the significance of the Orchard School tour taken by the Committee in October and the Orchard standard. She then introduced the CTA Architects. Julie also explained this is the first of three Neighborhood Meetings that will be held with the second meeting in January and the third meeting in April. The final recommendation will be presented to the School Board in May and hopefully the Bond Issue will go to a vote in September 2009. Julie then introduced CTA Architects and the meeting was turned meeting over to architect Keith Rupert.

 

CTA ARCHITECTS TEAM

 

Keith Rupert introduced Bob LaPerle who is the Project Manager. Bob gave some background on the school site. The site consists of 2.6 acres, 2 buildings, and 23,619 square feet of building area. Next Keith introduced Leslie who is the Historic Architect for the project. Leslie went over the historic implications of being named in the National Register in 1984. According to the State Antiquities Act, additions to the building can be made but must be sensitive in retaining character defining attributes. In the event the decision is made to remodel the old building, Leslie will be working with the State Historic Preservation Office to ensure their standards are met.

 

Keith Rupert presented the current enrollment versus square feet per student standards. The current enrollment of Broadwater Elementary School is 335. This equates to 70.5 square feet per student. According to the National Standards, the optimal square feet per student is 110 – 140. Orchard School is operating at 132.3 square feet per student.

 

 

Bob LaPerle presented some building options for consideration. The options were:

1. Connect the two existing buildings.

2. Build an addition of eight classrooms to the west end of the Annex building; however, this would take the entire west end playground.

3. Build a two-story addition to the west end of the Annex building with six rooms per floor. This provides more classrooms and takes less of the playground.

4. Increase the size of the multi-purpose room by adding on.

5. Add student drop off and pick up lanes on the east end of the property.

6. Build a new facility around the sides of the site. This would be a two-story building and would keep school in session during construction.

 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Keith Rupert asked if there were any questions before starting the Public Meeting Preparation Questions.

 

School Board member Kathy Aragon asked if consideration has been made to minimize the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles. Keith said this issue will be discussed later in the meeting. He also said that at this time the site does not meet city parking requirements.

 

Dennis Deppmeier asked if additional land acquisition is an option. Keith answered that the surrounding area is residential which makes the land difficult to acquire, and the School Board has not taken any action in that direction.

 

PUBLIC MEETING PREPARATION QUESTIONS

 

Keith Rupert read the following questions allowing public comment on each.

 

1. What are the most important or positive aspects of Broadwater Elementary School that you believe should be preserved?

 

Weldon Birdwell: Preservation of Broadwater School as a neighborhood school.

Bruce Simon: Preservation of the old building, keeping Broadwater as a neighborhood school.

Tammy O’Neill: Continuation as a neighborhood center.

Jerry Hansen: Not concerned about the building. He thinks the School District should buy more property to expand the building site. He won’t support building on 2.6 acres.

Tom Hinthorne: Wants a larger lunch room, playgrounds enlarged through property purchases, and Broadwater traffic buffered.

 

2. What are the most serious shortcomings of the buildings and site?

 

Bruce Simon: Lack of parking areas. Bruce advocates closing 4th Street West at Broadwater and putting in a diagonal parking system.

Dee Egeland: Dee wants to keep the old building but move the bathrooms out of the basement.

Weldon Birdwell: Weldon feels the most serious shortcomings arewasted space, needless stairs, and child safety.

Mike Curtis: Mike wants the entire campus to be ADA compliant. The current drop off situation is not safe for parents or buses.

Rachel Romei: Rachel believes the most serious shortcoming is the lack of security when students are moving between the buildings.

Diann Kramer: Diann agrees that students going between buildings creates a large safety issue. Diann would prefer one building.

Dennis Deppmeier: Dennis said there is an auto hazard in front of the building. A safe environment needs to be maintained as well as the significance of the front of the building.

Tammy O’Neill: Tammy would like to maintain a constant temperature in the rooms. Some rooms are hot while others are cold.

Lee Kvilhaug: Lee said students moving around the building and between the buildings causes a large loss of instructional time. Lee does not like having all the intervention programs in the basement. He believes the old building is dangerous due to the great potential for fire. Lee challenged everyone to think about the educational changes that have been made since the building was first constructed and to think forward to how education will change fifty years from now.

Keith Rupert: The building does not have a sprinkler system; however, in either a new building or remodel a sprinkler system will be installed to bring the building to code. Other things can be done to make the building more fireproof.

Sue Bressler: Sue works for the School District as an audiologist. She asked that acoustics be taken into account in the design of either the remodel or new construction as bad acoustics can be very detrimental to the students and their education.

Julie Anderson: She would like the playground moved away from Broadwater and to the back of the property.

Travis Niemeyer: As a teacher at Broadwater School Travis is concerned about asbestos, lead paint, and other hazardous materials currently in the old building. His other concern is how much cultural integrity of the old building would be maintained if remodeled?

Keith Rupert: Hazardous materials would be removed or encapsulated. The community will make the decision about how much original woodwork, etc. will be kept.

 

3. Is the lack of parking a serious impact on the neighborhood or a serious problem to the users of the school?

 

Wendy Jam: Wendy said it is very unsafe for everyone; for walking and bicycling students and for cars dropping off students.

Diann Kramer: Diann talked about the many residents driveways that are blocked when cars line up in the alley to drop off or pick up students. Many times students have almost been hit by these cars. The teachers have to park on the street which leaves no room for parents or buses.

Andrew Sulser: Andrew doesn’t think installation of a drop off zone will solve the alley problem. He thinks people will continue to use the alley as it gets the students closer to the building.

Dennis Deppmeier: Dennis does not think Wyoming should be used as the principal drop off street.

Ron Wolf: Ron thinks there will be parking problems no matter what.

Kathy Aragon: Kathy believes the safety of the students should come first. By making it less convenient to come to school by car creates a safer walking/biking environment. A Broadwater calming strategy should be part of the design.

 

4. Should we build a new school or remodel and add onto the existing buildings?

 

Wendy Jam: Wendy appreciates the historical value of the old building; but, she also thinks the focus should be on what’s best for the students. Either choice should ensure that educational standards are met.

Dennis Deppmeier: Dennis thinks there should be no human occupation of the old building basement.

April Logolo: April likes the old school better.

Weldon Birdwell: Weldon stated the old building has served Billings for 100 years and he wants to see it serve another 100 years. He believes the construction quality of the old building is better than new construction.

Mike Curtis: Mike wants the community to think for the future while valuing the past and its culture. He is leaning towards knocking down everything, saving the salvageable materials from the old building, and work those materials into a new structure.

Jim Hartung: Jim suggested the cost to build new is more than the cost to remodel. He doesn’t think the bond will pass for the cost of new construction.

Dennis Deppmeier: Dennis thinks Orchard School is not a good standard.

Bobbi Dolan: Bobbi stated no one is attached to the Annex building. She wants the old building kept as much as possible. She sees the Annex as disposable.

Tammy O’Neill: Tammy said some of the students also like the old building. She would like to keep the old building with improvements.

Travis Niemeyer: Travis stated teachers like the old building and believe there is educational value in its historic nature.

Andrea Wolf: Andrea likes the old school and would like to remodel and keep it.

Diann Kramer: Diann is the secretary at Broadwater School and says she gets lots of calls from people who want to come back and see the old building.

 

5. What changes or improvements would you like to see?

 

Tom Wolf: Tom wants to find out what the teachers need, how much space is needed, classroom space, library, music conservatory, what are the requirements for a new facility, and wants an environment that promotes learning.

Lee Kvilhaug: Lee wants an elevator.

Diann Kramer: Diann wants the buildings to be wheelchair accessible.

Gary Romei: Gary would like to do a remodel which would solve the old problems.

Jerry Hansen: Jerry said the population of Billings is decreasing and he doesn’t favor neighborhood schools; but he does support the cluster concept of a bigger neighborhood with two schools.

Weldon Birdwell: Weldon wants an enclosed passage between the buildings.

Andrew Sulser: Andrew suggested building a new two story structure behind the old school. Tear down the Annex and put the student drop off on Broadwater; then the residents on Wyoming wouldn’t be bothered with the school traffic.

Tom Wolf: Tom proposed landscaping to help with traffic.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further comments from the public, Keith Rupert turned the meeting back to Julie Anderson who moved to adjourn. Weldon Birdwell seconded and the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.