Board reviews planned capital projects

When they met Monday, the Leavenworth, Kansas, Board of Education were briefed on plans for capital projects that will be funded largely with money from a bond issue that was approved last year.

Voters approved a $36.7 million bond issue in June. The bond issue will pay for things such as the construction of an intermediate center and the conversion of the Lawson Elementary School building into an early childhood center.

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Cities, counties, school districts and the state would be allowed to enter into public-private partnerships to upgrade energy services under a bill winding its way through the Washington Legislature.

Matt Dedeke, director of facilities for the district, said $3 million of the bond issue is being devoted to capital projects for schools in the district.

"That's an injection to the capital budget," he said.

He said the $3 million combined with $1.5 million that has been budgeted from the district's capital outlay fund should pay for five major projects.

These projects include replacement of rooftop air-handling units at Richard Warren Middle School and parking lot asphalt projects at Warren and Leavenworth High School. The projects also include improved lighting for the high school and Warren campuses as well as the replacement of doors and windows at the middle school. The projects also will include upgrades to the intercom, fire alarm and clock systems at Warren.

According to Dedeke, the work for these projects may take place over three years.

Dedeke said $1.5 million budgeted for capital outlay expenses for the current school year is being added to the $3 million to help pay for the five major projects. He said the district should be able to continue to spend more than $1 million from the capital outlay fund on projects each year in the future.

Dedeke said the district also will be paying for projects at the high school this year to address problems that have come up unexpectedly.

One is the replacement of the floor in the Junior ROTC and chemistry areas of the high school. The floor in this wing of the building has cracked and a portion of it is sinking.

The estimated cost for removing and replacing the floor in this area is $500,000.

"We're hoping it will be a little lower," Dedeke said.

He said this project will be paid for with contingency funds from the capital outlay fund.

Board member Nancy Klemp said she has heard from people who question the estimated cost for the floor replacement.

Superintendent Mike Roth said much of the expense will be for the labor for the project which also will require the removal and replacement of walls.

"It's very labor intensive," he said.

Dedeke said the district also will need to replace a small section of the roof at Leavenworth High School that has developed a leak. The estimated cost of this project is $125,000.

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School bonds Kansas
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