BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES

Committee members present:

Jean Tremblay

Jeff Hill

Reed Leberman

Robert Demers

Jo Carpenter

Jeff Stewart

Central Office Staff:

Pauline Plourde, Business Administrator

Steve Welford, Interim Superintendent

Public in attendance:

Kathleen Kelley, Randolph School Board

Paul Bousquet, Principal

Keith Parent, Principal

Chad Dryden, BDS Report

6:40 p.m. - Call to Order by Pauline Plourde

Nominations for two additional committee members were discussed. Kathleen Kelley representing Randolph was nominated to the board. The need to work closely with the Gorham Selectmen and the Coop Committee was noted several times, though the need to have the appearance of an “arms length” from the Coop Board was also discussed.

Jeff Hill motioned that Reed Leberman be Chairman and that was seconded by Kathleen Kelley. Everyone voted in the affirmative.

Kathleen Kelley volunteered to be secretary for this meeting. Jo Carpenter agreed to serve as the backup when Kathleen is not available.

A media person will be identified by the next meeting.

Pauline Plourde distributed notebooks for the committee members with the slide presentation made last year at town meeting as well as a few other summary reports. The committee members requested additional details such as the Allied and the Security Reports. They requested a copy of the section in the master plan survey report from Gorham referring to the schools. Keith parent will provide a copy of the accreditation report that pertains to the building and his most recent response to that report.

The committee members discussed what the two key reasons for failure of the bond to pass at the last Town meeting might have been: one being the impact on the tax rate and the other the confusion at the meeting concerning the “true” options when only one option was presented. This committee will strive to improve communications through access to minutes of each meeting through the SAU20.org website, letters to the editor on a regular basis, regular communication w/residents, town officials and surrounding community members.

The committee discussed that there is an $800,000 Building Capital Reserve Fund. There is also a Roof Capital Reserve Fund and other special funds bringing the total to nearly $1,000,000. The state will fund up to 60% Building Aid, but that may change to 56% with the adoption of a coop or population/ demographic statistics.

The AVER Education Task Force will have a demographic report from UNH about expected school age children growth or decline in the region by August. This will not include the federal prison impact. The committee may have to pursue additional information from AVER with regard to how the federal prison project will impact school age children.

The budget for the committee is $10,000 for this fiscal year. The committee charge may require 18 months to complete so another project budget request must be made well before December 2004. The charge is to determine whether to renovate, reconstruct, or replace the current high school and the Edward Fenn buildings. This means not only recommending action but also nailing down design, construction costs, construction management team, bonding requirements, zoning and site issues and developing community support for the recommended action. The previous committee has some estimates for renovation of the Ed Fenn and the cost of replacing the GMHS on site.

The committee must analyze what is known, what needs to be “discovered”, what is expected by the town’s people and the cost/benefit of each option. Two buildings have been purchased in anticipation of keeping the GHMS on the current site.

Recognizing that there are several actions that may influence this project’s success, the committee members are urged to become familiar with the school buildings, new school construction options, “best practices “of delivery of education, and technology plans for the future. We must become familiar with the Gorham Town Hall plans and the impact the construction may have on the Recreation Department, the Elementary school and the GMH School. We also may need information about “Green school” and “energy star” grants.

The committee agreed to the following timeline:

· July 6 at 6:00 pm - complete committee nominations and begin mapping the project plan

· July 19 at 6:00 p.m. – David Provan Presentation on school project planning

· August 5 at 6:00 p.m. - Finalize project plan and establish committees

· December 2004 have an “update” report prepared for the town reports of all three towns.

· March 2005 make presentations at town meetings

· December 2005 have final report and warrant article completed for printing in Town Reports

· March 2006 make presentations at town meetings.

Meetings will be posted in all three towns. Minutes of this committee will be sent to all three school boards.

Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.