Greece schools outline summer construction, report Reimagine Greece costs and contingencies

District design and construction staff told the Greece Central School District Board on Tuesday that multiple summer capital projects — including Arcadia High School roof repairs, playground and pavilion work, asbestos abatement and elevator modernization at Athena — are proceeding and that the multi‑phase Reimagine Greece program remains generally within budget.

Senior architect David Phelps and district project lead Romeo Cooley walked the board through individual projects, a change‑order process and a high‑level accounting of the Reimagine Greece bond program. Phelps said the project’s average change‑order percentage “is about industry average. So we're right in line with that average,” and reported a reported contingency balance of $41,452 (not including a separate construction contingency for the current phase).

Planned summer work includes Arcadia High School roof repairs (procured through a cooperative contract), a roughly 500‑square‑foot storage addition at the Early Learning Center funded by a $250,000 DASNY SAMS grant, classroom lockset replacements (the district said the prior contractor appears to have gone bankrupt), playground and pavilion replacements funded with $2 million from this year’s budget, a warehouse floor renovation and asbestos abatement and finishes at Odyssey’s third floor. The largest summer scope is at Athena: a renovated library media center, replacement of original exterior windows and an elevator modernization, plus gym lighting and a fire alarm upgrade.

Phelps described three common categories that trigger change orders: errors and omissions, unforeseen conditions and owner‑initiated changes. He noted that any change order above $10,000 must come to the board for final approval; change orders under $10,000 are approved administratively and signed by the board president. Phelps also said the district discovered some design errors and has worked with the architect to negotiate corrections.

On budgets, staff showed a high‑level program summary: a total bond budget of about $107.8 million, R1–R6 budgeted at about $68.3 million and staff estimating actual R1–R6 costs near $66 million, leaving the program with a projected residual of roughly $750,000 once current items are complete. Staff outlined two options for any remaining funds: add limited, nearby scope at English Village or Athena (work tied to the current DASNY bond closing), or move the balance into the district’s debt service fund to reduce future levy pressure. District staff said the DASNY closing is scheduled for June.

Board members asked questions about procurement and scheduling. Board member Butler asked what a “cooperative contract” means; project staff explained it is a contracting mechanism that allows the district to use a pre‑bid contract awarded by another public entity rather than running a separate competitive bid for the same work. Butler also asked about steel availability for the warehouse floor; staff said long lead times were managed and work should resume in June. Board member Stencil asked for an update on the separate Level Up project; staff said Phase 1 (mostly roofing work, about $17 million) and window designs are in design and expected to proceed next summer, while later phases remain in early planning.

Phelps and Cooley said the district expects the listed summer work to be complete in time for the next school year, subject to normal construction risks and any significant unforeseen change orders.