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JOINT WORK SESSION

JANUARY 11, 2017

At a JOINT WORK SESSION of the Town Council and School Committee of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island, convened at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 11^th day of January 2017 at 6:30 PM.

PRESENT: Town Council

Margaret M. Healy, President

Abel G. Collins, Vice President

Bryant DaCruz

Liz Gledhill

Joe Viele

School Committee

Alycia Collins, Chairwoman

Michelle Brousseau-Cavallaro

Jonathan Daly-LaBelle

Raissa Mosher

Also present: Stephen A. Alfred, Town Manager, Patricia Sunderland, Finance Director, Colleen Camp, Executive Assistant, Jean Paul Bouchard, Tax Assessor, Dr. Kristen Stringfellow, School Superintendent, and Maryanne Crawford, Business Manager, School Department.

The Pledge of Allegiance is given.

Maryanne Crawford, Business Manager, School Department presents the proposed Capital Budget for the School Department. A capital project is a major, non-recurring tangible fixed asset, with a useful life of at least 5 years and a value in excess of $10,000. The areas of focus are on the six-year plan and the general operational budget capital purchase program or the Pay As You Go.

Prior to 2009, $1,000,000 was budgeted annually for capital projects. Beginning in 2010 through 2014 no capital projects were planned due to the uncertainty in State revenue. In 2015 renovations to the High School stairwells and replacement of the Peace Dale Elementary roof were completed. In 2016 renovations to the High School corridors and renovation of the third floor were completed. In 2017 roof repairs to the four elementary schools and life safety work were completed at West Kingston, Wakefield, and Matunuck Elementary Schools and Curtis Corner Middle School. Masonry repairs and site drainage projects at Broad Rock Middle School should be completed in the next few weeks.

The FY 2018-2020 Capital Project Plan is based upon the facilities audit completed in 2013. The Capital Projects proposed for FY 2020-2023 are subject to a new facilities audit to be submitted to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) for approval and are subject to change.

A Capital Improvement Plan as defined by RIDE is a long-range plan, typically 5-6 years, which identifies capital needs in a district and provides a funding schedule and timeline for implementation. The capital improvement plan allows for systematic evaluation of all projects at one time so that a district can anticipate future needs. The capital improvement plan should not include routine maintenance expenses of the district but should include required upkeep of the facilities, including but not limited to, roof repairs, heating and ventilation system repairs, or window and door replacement.

The State of Rhode Island has a School Housing Aid program defined as funds appropriated by the General Assembly in support of completed school construction projects, to guarantee adequate school housing for all public school children in the state, and prevent the cost of school housing from interfering with the effective operation of the schools. State funding is awarded after projects are completed according to statutes and regulations. No payment of school housing aid for an approved project will be made before the completion of the projects. The current reimbursement is 35% for South Kingstown.

The South Kingstown School Department hired Robinson Green Beretta (RGB) to conduct a full facilities analysis on June 11, 2013. The application process for the Necessity for Construction requires that a facilities analysis accompany the application as a condition for approval by RIDE. The RIDE necessity for school construction application and process include two programs, the Fast Track Repair Program and the Major Projects Program. The Major Projects Program is the program the SKSD would pursue. It was anticipated to file the application in the current fiscal year but with the constraints on the budget it was decided to delay for one year.

The RGB study was completed in August 2013. The School Committee approved the Capital Plan in September 2013, it was revised by the Town Manager in November 2013, and approved as revised by the Town Council in January 2014. RIDE Stage 2 approval took place in March, 2014. The enabling legislation was approved by the General Assembly in March 2014. The Rhode Island Board of Education approval was received in May 2014 and work began in July 2014. A bond authorization in the amount of $4,000,000 was approved by the electorate on November 4, 2014. It enabled the School Department to complete health and safety repairs, renovations and improvements to the school buildings based upon the facilities study completed by RGB in 2013.

The $4,000,000 in bonds will be used in conjunction with funds from the undesignated fund balance to complete the RIDE-approved capital projects. Documentation will be submitted to RIDE on an annual basis in order to receive the 35% reimbursement, on approved capital expenditures, inclusive of bond principal and interest.

It is anticipated that some of the planned upgrades will provide opportunities for energy efficiency savings through the replacement of aging electric heating systems at the Matunuck and West Kingston Elementary Schools.

The majority of the work will need to be completed during the summer months when school is not in session. It is anticipated that all construction work will be completed by August 31, 2019. The School Department estimates the useful life of the repairs, renovations and improvements to be 20 years or more.

As part of the approval process with RIDE a Building Committee must be appointed. The Building Committee members are Robert Desrochers, SKSD Maintenance Director, Maryanne Crawford, CFO, Dr. Kristen Stringfellow, Superintendent, Vin Murray, Director of Planning, Raissa Mosher, School Committee, Principal representation on projects that affect particular schools, and one community member.

In FY 2016-2017 roof repairs to the West Kingston, Wakefield, Matunuck and South Road Schools were or will be conducted; life safety improvements were or will be conducted at West Kingston, Wakefield, Matunuck and Curtis Corner Schools. Masonry repairs will be conducted at Broad Rock and drainage work will be conducted at Matunuck and West Kingston Elementary Schools. Funding is to be provided through the South Road School Fund, the School Department undesignated fund balance and bond issues.

Discussion ensues relative to the Long Term Capital Improvement Plan FY 2017-2018 to 2022-2023. It is noted that any projects proposed from 2020 through 2023 have not been approved by RIDE and the proposed costs are in-house numbers and subject to change. There are no projects planned for the Hazard School for FY 2017-2018 through FY 2022-2023.

Proposed projects for South Road include the construction of a retaining wall in the amount of $20,000 and flooring in the amount of $25,000 in FY 2019-2020; and funding in the amount of $350,000 is proposed for window/door replacement in FY 2022-2023.

There is no capital funding anticipated for the Administration Building in the six-year plan.

Proposed projects for South Kingstown High School include the replacement of the roof on the original building in the amount of $625,000, replacement of the boiler chimney roof in the amount of $41,000 and emergency lighting in the amount of $20,000 in FY 2019-2020; in FY 2020-2021 funding in the amount of $250,000 is proposed for the replacement of the fire alarm system and funding in the amount of $250,000 is proposed for replacement of the boiler control system; in FY 2021-2022 funding in the amount of $200,000 is proposed for exterior door replacement; and in FY 2022-2023 funding in the amount of $350,000 is proposed for library renovations.

Proposed projects for the Curtis Corner Middle School include funding in the amount of $247,800 for the replacement of unit ventilators in FY 2019-2020; and funding in the amount of $225,000 for boiler replacement in FY 2021-2022.

Proposed projects for Broad Rock Middle School include $25,000 for emergency fixture repair in FY 2019-2020.

Proposed projects for the Matunuck Elementary School include funding in the amount of $1,053,000 for the replacement of the HVAC/Electrical Systems in FY 2018-2019; and funding in the amount of $200,000 for roof replacement in FY 2022-2023.

Proposed projects for the Peace Dale Elementary School include funding in the amount of $8,500 for HVAC repairs and $100,000 for roof replacement in FY 2019-2020; and funding in the amount of $500,000 for roof replacement in FY 2022-2023.

Proposed projects for the Wakefield Elementary School include funding in the amount of $43,200 for the replacement of unit ventilators in FY 2018-2019; funding in the amount of $25,000 for exterior doors and windows replacement in FY 2019-2020; and funding in the amount of $249,000 for exterior doors and window replacement and $250,000 for boiler replacement in FY 2020-2021.

Proposed projects for West Kingston Elementary School include funding in the amount of $1,053,000 for the replacement of the HVAC/Electrical Systems in FY 2018-2019; and funding in the amount of $200,000 for roof repair to the 1991 wing in FY 2022-2023.

Discussion ensues relative to District Paving Projects. A traffic study will be required by RIDE for these paving projects. The proposed projects include funding in the amount of $450,000 for Curtis Corner Middle School in FY 2018-2019; $300,000 for Matunuck Elementary School in FY 2021-2022; and funding in the amount of $150,000 for the Administration Building, $200,000 for West Kingston Elementary School, and $500,000 for Peace Dale Elementary School in FY 2022-2023.

The total proposed six-year Capital Improvement Program for FY 2017-2018 through 2022-2023 is $7,910,500.

The proposed Capital Purchase Program Planned Projects for FY 2017-2018 includes funding of $25,000 for the Telecommunications Program, $10,000 for Support Staff Computer Equipment Replacement, $170,000 for Elementary Laptops, $50,000 for Computer Equity/Replacement, $200,000 for the Student Computer Initiative, $25,000 for Network Hardware and $25,000 for Track Resurfacing/Repairs.

After the last discussion with the Town Council, the School Committee agreed to conduct a facilities study and so the School Committee made a decision to defer any Capital Improvements that are not urgent or required until after the result of the study so they can be certain they are investing in schools that will be open for the length of the projects.

All of the FY 2016-2017 planned projects are on schedule to be completed by the end of the fiscal year.

The proposed Capital Purchase Program Planned Projects for FY 2017-2018 is the Pay As You Go portion of the School Fund. When the School Committee’s budget goes to the Town Manager in February there will be one line item in the operational budget made up of the Telecommunications Program, Support Staff, Computer Equipment Replacement, Elementary Laptops, Computer Equity/Replacement, Student Computer Initiative, Network Hardware and Track Resurfacing/Repairs.

Over the six-year period $7,910,500 is proposed to be expended. There is $5,000,000 available in bond authorizations, it is proposed to use $1,600,000 from the unassigned fund balance, and there is $395,000 available in the South Road Reserve Fund. The remaining $915,000 is an undefined resource and will have to be reviewed.

Discussion ensues relative to developing a scope of services for a necessity study, a probable cost and a time schedule and delaying a full year of capital facility improvements. The study should explore what education will look like in South Kingstown given the declining enrollment for the next ten to twenty years, so the School Committee will know what buildings to invest significant dollars in. In FY 2018-2019 the improvements that would be pushed back are HVAC system at West Kingston, a small repair project at Wakefield and reorganization and paving of the parking lot at Curtis Corner Middle School.

James W. O’Neill is present and comments.

The Town Manager states that the simple statement that we are going to close Curtis Corner Middle School and it is going to solve all our problems is incorrect. Part of the study needs to look at the number of classrooms that have student/teacher ratios that are 16 and 17 today and will continue to decline. What is the size of a class that we feel is appropriate for our district: is it 16 or should it be 20? Under the existing rules it could be higher than 20. It is the entire system that needs to be evaluated.