BY MIKE HELENTHAL
Commercial-News
DANVILLE —
The Danville District School Board will turn from contracts to construction Wednesday at its regularly scheduled business meeting.
Building and Grounds Director Ron Henton is expected to make recommendations on finalizing a list of “urgent” repairs the district plans to take on during the next 15 months.
Denman said the “progress report” would provide a “road map” for the School Board as members decide which of $8 million in repairs should be made first — and how to proceed on another $16 million in “required” renovation.
Building overhauls at the district’s two junior-high schools and East Park Elementary School top the list of “required” work.
Denman said much of the urgent work, including roof work at Garfield Elementary and Danville High schools and electrical work at two other elementary schools, had already been completed since last school year.
“A lot of (remaining) items can be done at no cost at all,” he said, and include building-configuration adjustments.
Wednesday’s meeting will help determine, “What we can afford to do and how we’ll prioritize that.
Nearly $80 million in repairs were identified as needing attention over the next 10 years following a mandatory architectural audit last spring.
Administration officials already are trying to secure funding for the immediate work in an attempt to have it completed without affecting the district’s tax rate.
So far, the district has hired a bonding company to find affordable funding. The firm recently made a recommendation the district apply for federal interest-free loans for the work.
Other items on Wednesday’s agenda include:
Update on recent property purchases by the district, which included a new headquarters for the building and grounds and food service departments at 615 N. Jackson Street.
The space was renovated for offices during the summer and the former buildings and grounds offices, in the basement of the Jackson Administration Building, was turned into classroom space.
The district also purchased three small properties from a tax auction recently that were adjacent to current school properties. The highest purchase cost was $800 and one property has a dilapidated structure that must be razed.
Interactive presentation on the district’s recent grant-funded purchase of 70 White Board classroom devices for classroom instruction.
An update on the district’s enrollment after the first few weeks of classes.
Public hearing on the 2010-11 CVCSC budget and a recommendation to approve.
