2:15 p.m.

Background Information:

Per State DEED directions, the date of the Six-Year Plan has been changed from the year of submission 2019-2024 to the funding date 2020-2025. This change has been requested by DEED for consistency of applications from all School Districts.

Other than the date change on the Six-Year Plan, the projects and project order has not changed from the documents the Board reviewed in June.

Six-Year Plan Discussion Items Preparatory for August School Board Meeting

Six-Year Plan decisions:

Which projects appear on the plan.

While listing projects in subsequent years is important to demonstrate a history of needs, projects appearing at the top of the list for the next fiscal year are most important. Applications for grants are limited to those projects listed for the next fiscal year.

The order of the projects for the next fiscal year.

The order of the projects is important only from a scoring standpoint. A first position project receives 30 points, with a loss of 3 points for every position away from that first spot. In normal funding years, this is more critical. With the current funding moratorium, the order of appearance is not critical.

Positioning on the list of projects lower in the list does not guarantee that the project will move up the list in future years as project needs are re-prioritized each year.

Project Consideration

Nanwalek Overcrowding

This facility is overcrowded and continued growth is anticipated. There is a housing shortage in the village. It is not uncommon for multiple families to share a unit. The few vacant lots in the village are tribal owned, and are being developed for housing and a daycare facility.

North Pacific Rim has acquired rights to develop 50 acres to the south of the village. About half of the property is buildable, with the majority developed as residential housing. This development will allow current inhabitants to spread out, and will provide additional housing for the village to grow. North Pacific Rim has committed to reserve a sizeable lot for new school development. The development of this property is in the environmental study stage, with development expected about 2022.

Nanwalek School, originally constructed in 1958 with additions in 1977 and 1984, with an average weighted age of 40-years old, is at at 140% capacity with student attendance equally divided between elementary (42) and secondary (41). As such, an application for new construction would score well towards State funding. The fully developed 3.5-acre site has a 14,832 square foot school facility, two teacher-housing duplex units, a front and back play area and a tank farm. Slopes on the site preclude construction except in play areas. There are contaminated soils on the site, which prohibit any sub-surface disturbance without remediation. This would include foundation systems and utility connections.

Situated right on the coast, the exterior of the building is exposed to salt-sea conditions, which increase maintenance costs for exterior upkeep.

Bonding for matching funding for any project in this village might face stiff opposition as there is limited tax revenue generated by this area of the Borough due to tribal ownership of property and a minor amount of sales tax generated with lower income spending.

Option A – Nanwalek Middle School / High School

It is proposed that a new facility be considered for the middle school and high school students in Nanwalek. With current enrolment and existing building size, a new 30,000 square foot facility would be justified. Expected cost for such a facility would be in the $20 - $25 million range.

If future growth meets current projections, the existing facility and the new facility combined will meet attendance needs for at least 10 years.

With both funding and property not available until after July of 2022, there is time to engage a consultant to formulate ed-specs and perform a preliminary design in the interim. Having a history of un-housed students, and having preliminary design and cost information in hand would support a very competitive grant application for FY2022.

Advantages:

Provides for current and future educational space needs.
New site provides options for future expansion as needs arise.
Preserves play spaces around the existing facility
Could incorporate new teacher housing.

Disadvantages:

Higher cost
Dependent on third party to develop infrastructure for future site.

Option B - Nanwalek Classroom Annex

Since any additions to the existing building would trigger code requirements to sprinkler the entire facility, it is proposed that two stand-alone classroom annexes be constructed. These annexes would be limited in size to 960 square feet for each building to avoid fire suppression requirements. Both play areas are needed to provide sufficient space for the new construction without code-required adjacency upgrades to existing buildings. The facilities would need to set on the soil surface, and only have overhead utility connections.

At 960 square feet, each annex would provide education space for approximately 23 students, and would theoretically eliminate the overcrowding. With current class sizes between 4 and 11, multiple grades would need to populate each annex. Growth trends over the last 10 years support a forecast of 9% growth per year. At this growth rate, the second annex would be needed in three years, which coincides with funding availability.

This option will meet current and projected needs for the next three years, but will not accommodate any future growth or expansion.

Cost for such a facility could potentially exceed $250,000 each as there is no harbor for the village, and construction workers would likely have to commute from Homer or Seldovia. Funding for the project would not be available until July 1, 2022. In the interim time, design of the facility could be performed to score better in obtaining funding and expedite construction once funding is secured. Having a history of un-housed students, and having preliminary design and cost information in hand would support a very competitive grant application for FY2022.

Advantages:

Lower cost solution
Would meet current overcrowding condition

Disadvantages:

Loss of playground areas
Will not provide for any future growth

Administration recommends that Option A be considered for funding. Application for funding would take place after Ed Specs and Schematic Design are completed. Funding for preliminary work to use seed money already earmarked with Capital Projects.

District Wide Security Upgrades and Office Remodels.

Even though DEED discourages District Wide projects, this project designation is included as a placeholder and will be divided into multiple regional projects, as funding availability gets closer.

Administration recommends that these projects be funded through Bond Reimbursement to generate funding for this and future projects that will not compete favorably for grant funding. No applications will be needed until funding availability gets closer.

Homer High School Roof Ventilation Upgrade and Gutter Reconfiguration.

Upgrading attic ventilation would improve energy efficiency of the building. The built-in interior gutters do not function well and drainage control would improve with the addition of traditional gutters. Both items would require replacement of the existing wood shake roof.

Administration recommends that an application for funding for this project be submitted on the off chance that minor funding is made available in the next fiscal year.

Redoubt Elementary Roof Insulation Upgrade.

This roof has performed beyond expectations, but is now fragile. The existing roof insulation has an R-factor of R-10, which was standard for the time, but is now inadequate. The proposal is to remove the existing roof membrane in order to increase insulation to a factor of R-38 intended to reduce utility costs. This project has the potential to be funded by remaining bond monies from the 2014 roofing bond, and could proceed immediately without grant funding if desired. However, due to the nature of the project, it would potentially score high enough on its own to qualify for a separate grant, allowing excess 2014 Bond funding to be used immediately for another project that may not score well.

Administration recommends that an application for funding for this project be submitted on the off chance that minor funding is made available in the next fiscal year.

West Homer Elementary East Wall Moisture Sealing.

Shortly after construction, evidence was found that moisture was penetrating the north exterior wall of fluted concrete block. Probable cause is driven rain through the porous nature of the block. Efforts to seal the block have not proven effective. Interior damage to wall surfaces and casework have been on going. Some instances of mold have been discovered and dealt with. Increased interior ventilation has helped to a minor amount. This project would entail construction of a new wall system on the north face of the school with a drainage gap between the existing and new walls to eliminate the hydrostatic pressure being exerted on the block wall, and provide an avenue for moisture to escape without intruding into the building. Because of the nature of the project, this application should score well.

Administration recommends that an application for funding for this project be submitted on the off chance that minor funding is made available in the next fiscal year.

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