Joint County Building Committee Gets Good News on LFK Renovations in Progress, and Schedule on EWM ‘Gym-atorium’ Funding Request

The Warren County Joint Board of Supervisors/School Board Building Committee met Wednesday afternoon, February 28, in the Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary School cafeteria to get updates on the status of the LFK renovation project, along with other projects that may be on the horizon, including at E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School.

The first topic of committee discussion was the proposed E. Wilson Morrison Multi-Purpose Room, also known as the “gym-atorium” that would convert the existing auditorium into that multi-purpose facility usage of auditorium and gymnasium.

Chairing the meeting, Warren County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Operations Buck Smith explained the logistical and financial variables leading to the recommended conversion of the existing school auditorium into the multi-use functions. He pointed to the facility, dating to 1943, being “landlocked” with limited space for “larger activities” including it would seem major additional building projects.

The Joint County/Public Schools Building Committee gets to work in the LFK cafeteria after school, at 4 p.m., Wed., Feb. 28. From left are County Board Chair Cheryl Cullers, LCW Construction LFK Project Manager Drew Arnett, hidden behind Arnett is Supervisor Richard Jamieson, School Board member Tom McFadden Jr., back to camera LFK Principal Jessica Vacca, Director of Facilities for WCPS Bryan Helmick, Assistant Superintendent for Operations with WCPS and meeting chair Buck Smith, and Shane Hoyt, Assistant Principal EWM. – Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

“Over the years there has been a desire to look at trying to find some space there … to have a gymnasium for the young folks. So, we identified the auditorium space to turn that into almost, like a gym-atorium,” Smith said of the project’s impetus and determined direction. Two bids were received on the Request For Proposal (RFP) on January 18, the lowest being from Lantz of Winchester, he told the committee. “And then on February 7th we went to our school board, Bryan and myself,” Smith said of him and Bryan Helmick, Director of Facilities for Warren County Public Schools, seeking to begin the authorization process for funding from a Capital Reserves Fund available for various county building projects. Smith estimated an approximate $800,000 available balance in that reserve fund after the LFK project is completed.

“So, we asked for our board to authorize to the board of supervisors to appropriate funding for this particular project at E. Wilson,” Smith continued. He cited the low bid cost at $288,200, with an estimated additional $15,000 to $20,000 to cover third-party Special Inspection costs the school system, as property owner, would be responsible for covering. Smith said subsequent communications with the County Administration indicated the matter would be on the County Board of Supervisors meeting agenda of March 12. According to the County website meeting calendar, the supervisors have three meetings scheduled for that day, beginning at 5 p.m. with a Joint County/Schools Budget Committee meeting coinciding with a supervisors work session slated from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a supervisors meeting starting at 6 p.m.

“Then if approved, at the March 20th School Board meeting we would request our board  to be able to enter into a contract to be able to start that project,” Smith told the Joint Building Committee, which includes County Board Chairman Cheryl Cullers and Supervisor Richard Jamieson, as well as School Board members Tom McFadden Jr. and Melanie Salins, the latter who was absent due to what the committee chairman noted at the meeting’s outset were vehicle/transportation issues.

If authorized for funding from the Capital Reserves Fund, Smith said the auditorium multi-use renovations would begin in April for what is estimated to be a four-month project to completion. “So, that would be very close to the start of school, maybe a little bit beyond it. Perhaps we make it as fortunate as we have been with this project where we’ve been able to get ahead of that schedule,” Smith said in reference to the LFK renovations project scheduled for discussion next on the agenda.

And with that smooth transition, the Joint Building Committee moved into the status of renovations already underway at LFK that are moving into the final Stages 4 and 5 about 2-1/2 months ahead of schedule. The LFK project is said to be at the 85% completion point. Phase 4 scheduling presented indicated “Completion Inspections” to be accomplished on March 1, followed by: Custodial cleaning of the new pod March 4-to-6; Furniture moved into new pod March 7-8; Pod officially open for students on March 11.” Noted in the agenda meeting summary was an originally projected Phase 4 completion date of May 24.

The committee listens as LFK Principal Jessica Vacca, left, reviews status of renovation work at the school. The news was good as that work is coming in ahead of schedule and within budget.

The agenda summary and committee discussion indicated that Phase 5 will begin with night work of hallway ceiling and condenser water pipe removal, with areas to be affected including the Administrative suite, library, and main hallways. An underground fuel tank “abandonment” is the other Phase 5 job leading to final completion.

Committee members involved in the LFK project lauded LCW Construction (Lantz Winchester) Project Manager Drew Arnett for overseeing the project being accomplished ahead of schedule and within budget. It was suggested that Arnett return to oversee the next county public schools construction project, likely if approved, the EWM gym-atorium project his company has again turned the low bid in on.

During open discussion later in the meeting the deteriorating state of tennis courts at both Warren County and Skyline High Schools was broached. Natural deterioration from weather and other factors were cited as moving the courts toward a potentially dangerous state for the schools tennis teams to utilize. The committee took the situation under advisement on a path forward. The Joint County Building Committee generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 4 p.m. at selected sites as appropriate.