The following are op-ed submissions from both Bill Brennan, Wilton’s first selectman, and Bruce Likly, the chair of the Board of Education. Likly’s contribution is the latest installment of the regular column, “Notes from the Board Table.”
INVEST IN WILTON: Vote “Yes” on September 23rd or 27th
By Bill Brennan
The most important community capital project in the last 25 years will be presented to the citizens of Wilton on Tuesday evening, Sept. 23 at Wilton High School’s Clune Center. Please plan to attend this Special Town Meeting that is critical to the future of our community.
Miller-Driscoll School serves our youngest school children – pre-kindergarten through second grade. It is the “gateway” school to our exceptional and nationally recognized school system, but Miller-Driscoll’s facilities are in need of major renovations and improvements.
After many years of educational planning, a Building Committee of experienced citizens was appointed by the Board of Selectmen to develop a comprehensive plan to renovate and revitalize the Miller-Driscoll School. The architectural, construction, site and security plans developed by the Building Committee have been reviewed in detail by the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Education and the Board of Finance. Each board has unanimously approved the proposed capital project’s plans!
It is time now for the citizens of Wilton to vote on this critical community project. At this point, there are few options available, as Miller-Driscoll’s aging infrastructure and mechanical systems must be addressed. If, for any reason, this project is delayed, the Town’s construction advisors indicate project renovation costs will be greater in the future. Fortunately, the current low interest rate environment presents the Town with a cost efficient funding opportunity.
It is important to note that a vote “Yes” for the project is not just a vote for the renovation of school facilities, but also a vote to preserve community property values. Wilton’s outstanding school system has long been rated one of the Town’s greatest assets. The excellence of our schools attracts new home buyers who visit community school facilities, as part of their home location decision process. A renovated and improved Miller-Driscoll School and campus will support Wilton’s school system and in turn, the preservation of local property values.
As your First Selectman for the past nine years, I believe this proposal is the most important capital project that has come to the electorate for approval during this period. I respectfully and personally appeal to Wilton’s citizens to vote “Yes” to support this critical project – an investment, I believe, in both our school system and our great community.
Bd. of Education ‘Notes from the Board Table’
By Bruce Likly
I hope every member of our community is aware that a special Town Meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Clune Center to discuss and vote on the proposed renovation to Miller-Driscoll School. Voting will take place immediately after the business meeting concludes, and will continue on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8 a.m.–6 p.m., also in the Clune Center.
In the months since the Boards of Education, Finance and Selectmen gave this project their unanimous approval, we’ve launched an exhaustive campaign to educate the community about the need for the project, and the scope of the proposed renovation. Specifically, we want to ensure the community understands that the project is a good investment for Wilton, has the full support of our financial advisors, and will provide our youngest learners with a beautiful 21st century school building.
I encourage anyone with questions about the project to visit the Miller-Driscoll Building Committee website, for detailed information.
In the meantime, some questions have come to light, along with some claims that call into question cost and specifics of the project. Let me spend a few minutes addressing some of these issues:
Why not construct a new building? There are two compelling reasons for the decision to ‘renovate like new’ versus pursue new construction:
- According to the 2014 Report by School Building Projects Advisory Council, which is a panel appointed by Gov. Dan Malloy, the average cost for state-funded new school construction “is nearing $500 per square foot.” At this rate, our 127,100 square foot school would cost roughly $63.5 million to complete. But we know that costs are not average in Fairfield County; they are higher. Worth noting is that this same state report is being used to discredit the proposed renovation, through a somewhat confusing manipulation of data. In addition, the State of Connecticut offers a higher rate of reimbursement to districts that opt to renovate existing schools, than for those that opt for new construction. The proposal to be voted on this month is for a $50 million renovation, of which the state will reimburse $6.1 million. The result will be a renovated facility that should look and feel very close to new once completed.
- Space. Quite simply, we do not have the space anywhere in town to construct a new school building. At the beginning of the project the M-D building committee did an exhaustive review of all options. Every possibility was examined – Comstock, Gilbert&Bennett, Allen’s Meadow, space in front of the existing building – even the Town Forest was considered. Following this review, it was determined that no space currently exists to house a new school facility.
Cafeteria Size. We heard concerns from a couple of residents at last week’s community meeting that the size of the cafeteria in the renovated building would be inadequate. These concerns are without merit. According to M-D principal Cheryl Jensen-Gerner, our current cafeteria seating capacity exceeds our needs. Currently students are serviced by one of two cafeterias, based on their classroom location. The renovated building will include a single cafeteria which, while it will occupy less total square footage than our current facilities, will be more than sufficient to meet student needs.
The Project will take Several Years to Complete. Here is an overview of the project timeline:
- September 2014: Wilton voters approve M-D renovation
- July 2015: Architects submit final design documents
- September 2015: State approval for bidding
- December 2015: Construction begins
- December 2017: Project Completion
Under this scenario, construction will take place during the school year. Please be assured that student disruption will be kept to a minimum. Affected students will be assigned to temporary classrooms for the duration of the disruption, and parents will be notified about any changes to their children’s daily routines or classroom assignments. In addition, be assured that all hazardous waste removal will be conducted under strict accordance with state mandate, by highly experienced technicians, and that as much waste as possible will be eliminated during the summer months, when school is not in session.
I suppose we all wish the construction timeline could be accelerated so that students could reap the benefits sooner. But please keep in mind, if we fail to pass this referendum, it will likely be years before we have an opportunity to revisit the issue.
Anyone who has spent time in Miller-Driscoll understands the desperate need for this renovation project. The building is old, and is showing signs of its age. I urge your support for this project, and invite you to email me at BOE@Wilton.K12.CT.US with any questions about the project.
Why the rush to borrow? There was no rush to fix the roof or HVAC that caused IAQ issues?
Why go from a 3.5 million project to a 50 million project in 18 months?
ETP September 18, 2014 at 6:53 am
So, for $50,000,000.00 the town gets 15 new preK classrooms, a new kitchen, and gussied up entrance ways. Sensible and informed voters realize there is space at Comstock, previously designed for students, for preK, that new windows cost 500 thousand, that new HVAC and roofing costs 3 million, new wifi costs 1 thousand tops per room, new kitchen equipment costs 200 thousand.
So where does the rest of the $45,000,000.00 go?
They show a chart indicating a reduced debt service burden as existing debt is retired. Someone noticed and said, this is not right, we have to borrow more. So they looked around and decided a new town hall campus was a no-go, but MD looked like an opportunity. So instead of fixing the fundamental roof, HVAC issue, they decided to borrow 44 million…
Why? Simply because cutting taxes is not an option for folks in government…
Ed Papp
Become an informed voter…consider viable alternatives.
Why not build New for 330 per sq ft as other towns have done? Better than spending much more than that and exposing children to toxic materials in the process! Vote smart!
ETP September 16, 2014 at 7:22 am
Bruce,
All the literature points to significantly lower construction costs than proposed here in Wilton. A new elementary school built in Alexandria Va for 46 million at 97,000 sq ft. See http://apsva.us/newes1 includes hard and soft costs.
Please don’t say ” well, we are Wilton, so we must spend more than anyone else.!,
The Town of Wilton Requires all participants to sign an ethics statement. This is not my requirement, it is a town requirement. Where are they? Are all participants barred from participating in the construction in any way? Don’t act indignant, just answer a tax payers question.
It is NOT irresponsible to be concerned with TOXIC materials. You can claim safeguards but you cannot claim with absolute certainty that it is impossible. As you state, remediation adds costs not incurred when building new. Why take the chance?
A BRAND NEW four story building could be built on one of the ball fields at MD using off the shelf plans from the national school design organization avoiding toxic material issues, excessive soft costs. Police headquarters could relocate from their cramped quarters to the old MD site offering increased security as well.
Yes, it is easy to toss numbers. The tossing starts with a 3 million roofing, HVAC project at MD that suddenly devolved to a 50 million adventure in 3 short years. Why ? You stated doing the project “piecemeal” would cost 42 million…where did that number come from? Are there individual bids for the various steps adding to 42 million or is it a guess? I know Hoffman estimated 500, 000 for the envelope, the roof and HVAC come in at 3.5 million ( less if the roof warranties were called). A school in nearby Fairfield replaced all of its exterior doors and windows for $502,000 see
http://www.richardscorp.com/projects/riverfield.htm
I do not understand why you immediately disparage documented costs from known, completed projects while holding firm to the credibility of numbers without bids. Are your numbers based on bids? Wilton has the reputation of spending way too much. Let’s end it now.
Please answer:
Where are the signed ethics statements?
Are current participants barred from participating in the build?
Why not use Comstock, Gilbert Bennett or Montessori for pre K?
Why not build new on the MD site and repurpose the existing school?
Why not realize taxpayers are justifiably concerned with the failure of the town to maintain MD?
Why not understand taxpayers are concerned with a roofing-HVAC project turning into a 50 million drain?
Why not consider alternatives to the plan you proposed?
There was scant info given to taxpayers in the past three years. To have this plan suddenly foisted on the community without presenting alternatives is disturbing.
There was no rush to fix the roof that lead to IAQ issues, so why the rush to sell this BEFORE all options are revealed.
You have not properly informed the public and they might make the mistake of voting for this without understanding it’s serious questions and issues.
Ed
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ETP September 16, 2014 at 9:24 pm
Here is a link to another school building project. It is in Mass. Nearby and not that long ago. A brand new High School costing $330 per square foot.
http://homenewshere.com/wilmington_town_crier/news/article_67b43f6a-beb2-11e0-93d5-001cc4c002e0.html
Mass has a program where districts are encouraged to use stock, proven designs. They are also encouraged to tweak the stock design to avoid the cookie cutter look. Cuts down on construction costs while enabling a custom look. Smart thinking that would have, will save Wilton tons of money if adopted. Let’s educators focus on teaching, not bricks.
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The timeline for this project is 39 months.
But the fundamental flaws with the building (walls, windows, roof HVAC) could be fixed in six months without disturbing the toxic materials.
The notion that a 50 million renovation will boost property values is a canard. Darien has several much older schools that have been properly maintained and their property values are holding up better than ours.
The best way to increase property values is to reduce taxes. The 50,000,000.00 project will raise taxes…but they won’t tell us the amount yet.