School board asks voters for $14 million

The Bigfork School District board of trustees voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a bond request, asking voters for $14 million to renovate the high school.

The proposed renovation would address safety issues, lack of classroom space in the high school, and would bring the buildings, which were last renovated in the 1960s, up to safety and disability codes.

The school board contracted with CTA Architects in February to come up with a concept for potential changes. A group of about 20 community members including faculty and students spent three day-long workshops going over the options, and deciding what would be best for Bigfork.

The group considered every possibility from doing nothing, and completely starting over, before identifying what they thought the best option was.

At the previous board meeting the trustees chose between the options the visioning group had determined. The option the board selected is called Agora, which means gathering place in Greek.

The proposed renovation would include about 24,000 square feet of new construction and the renovation of about 46,000 square feet.

Between reconfiguring and the addition, a minimum of eight new classrooms would be added, the science labs would be updated, the band room would be expanded and a choir room added. This would allow for high school classes currently taught in the middle school, to move back to the high school, and get classes out of converted closets.

There would be a common area for students to eat lunch, and to work on group projects.

The library would be moved from the second floor of the school to the first, and possibly be designed to work with the open common area. Moving the library to the first floor would allow small classrooms on the second floor to be expanded and make room for more classrooms.

The old locker rooms, which are in poor condition, would be removed, and rebuilt on the east side of the gymnasium. The floor of the gym would be dropped to improve ceiling height, and it would be extended out an additional 30 feet to the north.

The reconfiguration would also create a more defined front entrance, and move the administrative offices next to that for added security, allowing administrators to monitor who is coming in and out of the school.

The existing bus barn, which is located on the east side of the school, would be relocated to make room for the addition.

The plan would also add some parking, and reconfigure traffic flow around the elementary for pick up and drop off.

The design is intended to provide for flexibility now and in the future. “It can support anything,” Fran Quiram, with CTA Architects, said.

While the vision is there, architects noted that the plan is still fairly preliminary. The spaces have yet to be designated for specific uses. That piece will come later.

The the project is estimated to cost $13.8 million. About $9.3 million would cover renovations, code upgrades and new construction. Site development costs, such as the parking lot and bus barn relocation, are estimated at about $1.1 million. Other project costs such as fees, testing, materials and permits are estimated at $1.4 million. Project contingency costs are estimated at $2 million. 

The school board elected to ask for $14 million to allow for unforeseen complications that can arise when opening up a 50-year-old building. Bigfork School’s Superintendent Matt Jensen said they might not need to spend all $14 million. In that case they wouldn’t sell the full amount of bonds, saving the taxpayers money.

Jensen stressed that the major priorities with the proposed renovation are getting all of the high school classes out of the middle school building and providing adequate classroom space. Updating the science labs and auto and wood shops, and accomplishing all the deferred maintenance projects, is needed, officials say.

“We’re asking for needs, not wants,” Jensen said. “Our priorities are academics first.”

Though the proposed project is in very early, phases Jensen has already encountered people who have misconceptions about the intent of the renovation and he encourages anyone who has questions to contact him, and make a fully informed decision before voting.

“I really want to encourage people to come and talk to me and take a tour with me, or our principal and see what we’re really trying to do,” Jensen said.

He also encourages people to have their staff or group meetings in the building, and then take a tour and see what the needs are.

The last bond the school attempted to run to improve the high school was in 2007, which failed narrowly. A different bond to improve the elementary and middle school was passed in that election.

The vote will be done by mail. Ballots will be sent out in September and due back on Oct. 9. Jensen said if they bond passed, they would hope to start construction in the spring of 2016. Construction would be completed in phases to cause the least amount of disturbance to students.