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Board reviews decreased‑cost facilities feasibility study proposal; vote to occur separate from consent
Summary
District officials proposed contracting a vendor to carry out a comprehensive facilities feasibility study using previously compiled reports to lower cost; staff said the study would be brought to the board next week as a standalone vote, not on the consent agenda.
Maggie (district administrator) told the board the district had sought a feasibility study to review long‑term facilities needs, enrollment projections and options for central services and campus footprints. She said a vendor who met most of the district’s requirements agreed to a lower price after staff asked it to use previously compiled reports, reducing the cost from earlier bids.
“We need to look at how our student enrollment could potentially change up or down over time,” Maggie said. “We need to understand… central services spread across 3 campuses. So we need to really take a look at long term sustainability and within the best financial position for the school district.”
Board members asked detailed questions about the scope and sample data. One member asked whether the demographic projections and enrollment scenarios would account for out‑of‑district tuition waivers and their effect on revenue; staff said that once a vendor is under contract, the board and staff will set an explicit scope of work that can include modeling tuition policy changes and fee waivers. Staff clarified the quoted fee on the cover page was $243,000 and that additional optional work had been priced separately by the vendor.
A board member asked whether the study would duplicate an earlier facilities study; staff said the vendor would use prior studies where possible and that Cooperative Strategies, which performed the district’s enrollment projection last year, had been accurate within 10 students in the district’s recent experience. The district emphasized the study will include community input, site visits, and representation from administration, teachers and the board.
Maggie recommended that because of the study’s scale it “would not go on the consent agenda but… be voted on separately” next week. Board members were told that the study cost will be paid from the district’s capital budget and that adding items to the scope typically increases the price.
No contract was approved at the meeting; staff said they will return with a final contract and detailed scope for board consideration and vote.
