By Mandy Bourgeois | Published Thursday, October 22, 2009
Since voters approved a $9 million bond in May 2008, Paradise ISD has completed several large construction projects, including a wing and cafeteria at the junior high, a wing of classrooms at the elementary and a fine arts building, among other projects.
The school has $822,525 left in bond money and a list of projects originally included in the bond. The Paradise School Board discussed priority projects at its Monday meeting.
Currently, the district is working on several smaller projects, including construction of a maintenance building, storage building, playground at the elementary school and a new ISS/DAEP room.
Bond projects left to complete and their estimated cost include:
- bus lot base - $20,000 - maintenance building fencing - $17,000 - elementary playground fencing - $9,000 - greenhouse - $20,000 - camera system - $40,000 - four HVAC units at junior high - $26,000 - bleachers - $45,000 - football field fencing - $5,000 - press box - $85,000 - bricking of field house - $70,000 - lighting upgrades at high school - $30,000 - HVAC units at high school - $25,000
Other projects not previously stated in the bond package that could be paid for with bond funds include a day care facility ($200,000), new bathrooms and ticket booth at the football field ($50,000) and bleacher retrofit seats ($13,000).
The district also has $300,000 labeled for capital improvements in the fiscal year budget, and projects under that umbrella include:
- windows at central office - $18,000 - Kelly Gym east and west doors - $8,000 - access control at high school - $20,000 - junior high field house renovation - $100,000
Board president Homer Mundy suggested that the district wait to bid on projects such as the bleachers, ticket booths and restrooms until the spring.
"Those can be done over the summer," Mundy said.
Mundy and board member Pam Hamby said that the camera systems are priority projects and should be put in immediately. Mundy also said that the day care facility was a priority project.
"I think the day care is something we need to get blue prints on," Mundy said. Superintendent Monty Chapman said that ideally, the day care center should be completed in time for the 2010-2011 school year.
Other items designated as priority items by the board included the new HVAC units at the junior high and replacing lighting at the high school with energy efficient lighting.
The board addressed the greenhouse and fencing projects in separate items on the agenda.
The board approved a bid for $16,575 by Jaderloon Greenhouse Co. for a 22-foot by 36-foot greenhouse.
The board also approved a bid by Diamond Fencing for projects at the elementary and maintenance building. The elementary fencing bid came in at $8,995 for black coated fencing and the maintenance building fencing bid, which will incorporate existing fencing from the previous lot, was $14,964.
In other business, the board approved a resolution setting minimum parameters for the reissue of bonds. Superintendent Chapman said he hopes to save the district between $700,000 and $800,000, depending on when the district reissues the bonds.
