McKinley Task Force - December 16, 2008

[coen]

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

McKinley Task Force

Billings, Montana

 

Call to Order

 

The McKinley Task Force Committee of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County and High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana held a Neighborhood meeting at McKinley School, 820 North 31st Street, Billings, Montana, on Tuesday, December 16, 2008. Chair Kevin Odenthal called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Committee members present were: Lisa Dubeau, Kristen Graves, Amy Griffins, Jeffrey Kay, Kevin Odenthal, Sara Olsgaard, Elizabeth Perius, Mark Restad, Anne-Marie Wade, and Heather Zindt. Ex-Officio Members present were: Bert Reyes and Sandra Mossman. CTA Architects Engineers representatives present were: Karen Kelly and Mike Tuss.

 

Communication From the Public

None

 

Guest: Perry Moler

 

Update from CTA Architects

 

Karen Kelly recapped the talking points and views discussed at the November 18, 2008 McKinley Neighborhood meeting. Karen Kelly noted the consensus of the public was to preserve and restore the original building. Karen Kelly reported that she met with the McKinley staff for input. Some necessities expressed were for extra space for music, art intervention rooms, and adequate daylight. Karen Kelly explained to refurbish McKinley several issues within the building such as electrical, acoustics, mechanical, etc will have to be addressed. Karen Kelly noted that CTA structural engineers stated the building is structurally safe and well built. Mike Tuss explained the final design will be tastefully done to respect and represent the original building.

 

Karen Kelly provided handouts that represented “Program of Spaces” that corresponds with the three slides of diagrams of McKinley school. The data provides classrooms or functional rooms and the square footage comparing the existing enrollment and increased enrollment for an ideal school environment.

 

Karen Kelly provided three slides with diagrams. Karen indicated that the diagrams include suggestions, comments, necessities, and desires from McKinley staff and from the neighborhood meeting.

Slide 1: Included the original building. Demolishing the addition and adding a new addition.

Slide 2: Included the original building. Keeping and adding onto the addition

Slide 3: Included tearing down the original building and building a new school.

 

Karen Kelly explained the construction will have to be done in phases. Demolition will likely be done in the summer. Mike Tuss stated it will be disruptive when school is in session, but they will try to keep disruption to a minimum.

 

There was discussion regarding control of the front entrance, angle parking, plans for future increased enrollment in the structural design for a third floor, original duct work, playground, efficiency, cafeteria concerns, and creating an environmental friendly school.

 

There was discussion regarding basement issues vs loose of the site land. Karen Kelly said the remodel of the basement will be costly. The committee discussed remodeling the basement vs additions and losing playground space. A concern was loose of land because the school playground is used year round by the community.

 

Karen Kelly suggested that the mechanic system is a big challenge as there is no duct work.

 

There was discussion regarding increasing the enrollment at McKinley. A member wants to make sure the public who want McKinley to remain a small neighborhood school is being represented. Sandra Mossman explained the Board set the “Orchard enrollment standard” for new school construction. Sandra Mossman suggested that even though the Board indicated they want a 450 enrollment standard for any new construction, existing school site size will be addressed individually. Sandra Mossman indicated McKinley will probably be closer to a 400 student enrollment. Bert Reyes noted that even though a school is build for a certain enrollment does not necessarily mean it will reach that capacity.

 

There was discussion regarding the Boards long term facility plan. Using the Boards enrollment standard for building or renovating elementary schools questions as to whether neighborhood schools will be closed as bigger elementary schools are built were addressed.

 

Bert Reyes provided voting trends for mill levies and bond issues in Billings.

 

Because of McKinley‘s location the building has to be built so there is “supervised space” due to transits and vandalism that currently occurs.

 

Karen Kelly will provide updated designs at the January meeting from input of this meeting.

 

Sandra Mossman reiterated that there has been no discussion by the Board regarding the sale of Rimrock and Highland.

 

A motion was made by Ann-Marie Wade seconded by Kristen Graves to preserve the historic McKinley building by renovating and not tearing down. The motion passed

unanimously.

A motion was made by Mark Restad seconded by Jeffrey Kay to keep and renovate the original 1906 and 1917 McKinley school. The motion carried. Elizabeth Perius and Heather Zindt opposed the motion.

 

Approve Minutes of Meetings

 

A motion was made by Mark Restad seconded by Kristen Graves to approve the minutes from the October 14, 2008, October 27, 2008, and November 18, 2008 meetings. The motion passed unanimously.

 

A motion was made by Heather Zindt seconded by Mark Restad to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

 

The next McKinley Task Force meeting will be held January 20, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at McKinley school.

 

Adjournment

 

 

Kevin Odenthal, Chair

Brenda Cross, Recorder