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Facilities commission moves forward with Mercer study for old junior high; board explores rec-center partnership
Summary
After the facilities commission notified the district it will pursue a Mercer study of the old junior high, board members discussed demolition vs. partial preservation, local costs for non-instructional additions, and a proposal to explore a recreation center partnership with Platte County parks.
The Platte County School Board was informed in a workshop that the facilities commission will proceed with a Mercer study to evaluate options for the district's old junior high building, a preliminary step that could lead to demolition, preservation of parts of the building, or other remedies.
Board members were told the facilities review aims to determine the most cost-effective remedy. If the commission recommends demolition or a reduced instructional footprint, the district may keep the property and pursue local enhancements, but any noninstructional extras (for example, additional gym space) would need to be funded and maintained locally without reimbursement for utilities from the state.
The district expects the facilities process to begin in late January or early February and said the review may include onsite steps; the Brownfield company and a Cheyenne provider were named as parties who will have access to documents during the study. The board did not authorize engineering work at this time, because the Mercer study will first evaluate whether partial preservation is viable.
One board member proposed exploring a partnership with Platte County Parks to convert part of the site into a public recreation center that could preserve gym space for school use while serving the broader community. The proposal is exploratory; members noted it would require district funding for any enhancements not covered by the facilities commission's recommendations.
Jim (staff member) was scheduled to give a fuller update at the next board meeting on engineering options, the deteriorating wall and auxiliary gym, and the status of associated projects. The board set no formal policy or funding decision at the workshop.
