Broadwater Task Force - January 12, 2009

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Broadwater Task Force

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

January 12, 2009

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Broadwater Task Force of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, held a Committee Meeting at Broadwater Elementary School, Billings, Montana, on Monday, January 12, 2009. Chair Julie Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:00 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, Wendy Jam, Karin Lucas, Travis Niemeyer, and Rachel Romei. Members absent were: Eric Anderson, LuAnn Birdwell, Jason Jam, and Gary Romei. Also present were Ex-Officio Members Lee Kvilhaug and Kathy Aragon, and Architects Bob LaPerle, Keith Rupert, and Kristine Keller. RMC Interns Kurt Klein and Nathan Schmitz were also in attendance.

 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC

 

There was no public communication.

 

APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

 

The minutes of the December 8, 2008 meeting were approved.

 

CTA ARCHITECTS PRESENTATION

 

Julie Anderson turned the meeting over to Keith Rupert of CTA Architects. Keith handed out a revised space requirement document which was prepared by his firm for this meeting. The revisions include planning for two classrooms per grade and seven rooms for arts and specialties. Lee Kvilhaug showed how based on an occupancy of 330 students the first and second grades would each require three classrooms.

 

Keith Rupert then showed diagrams of the options the committee had selected at the December meeting. Kristine Keller then went over the floor plans of each option. Keith explained the building efficiency of the options in terms of unusable space versus assignable space. Remodeling the old building with a two-story addition would result in a building 15,000 square feet larger than a new equivalent. This is due to the large amount of unusable space in the old building including the basement.

 

Preliminary costs were presented by Keith Rupert. These are very rough estimates only, have been rounded, are based on 400 or 330 student occupancy, and include a 15% contingency.

Occupancy Remodel with Addition Completely New Building

400 $11,700,000 $10,400,000

330 $10,800,000 $ 9,300,000

 

 

Kathy Aragon was asked what the district has in mind for the occupancy rate. She said the district statement is for an occupancy rate of 400 students; however, there is a public forum in February at which time a definite occupancy rate will be set.

 

Kathy Aragon asked Keith about the energy costs of a three-story versus a two-story building. Keith replied the difference is not much. He explained about one-third of energy costs are for tempering ventilation air. Old buildings can have lower energy costs due to the lack of ventilation.

 

DISCUSSION OF OPTIONS AND PREFERRED OPTION(S)

 

Discussion was held on the different options presented at this meeting. CTA Architects had not completed diagrams and floor plans for a new building as those options were discounted at the December meeting. John Dyer made a motion to have CTA Architects provide diagrams and floor plans for a new facility. Nate Allie seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Keith was asked about the parking situation. Keith spoke with the City Council and with Planning & Zoning. Both groups are favorable to neighborhood schools and Keith does not foresee any problems with parking.

 

More discussion was held on the building options presented. The committee wants to preserve the historic nature of the old building. The committee is concerned that wrapping a new addition around three sides of the old building would detract from and cover up what they are trying to preserve. The committee then asked CTA Architects to design a plan for putting a new building along the east side of the property that would have a connector to the old building. Based on this decision John Dyer made a motion to not proceed on the two-story option which would wrap around the old building. Nate Allie seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 

NEXT MEETING DATE

 

The next Committee meeting will be held on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Broadwater Elementary School. CTA Architects will present the new plans and the committee will prepare for the community meeting. A tentative date of February 9, 2009 was set for the community meeting.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business Julie Anderson adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.