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School Facilities panel reviews project progress, budget and $95 million allocation
Summary
The School Facilities Select Committee received project updates on 24 active capital construction efforts, reviewed Mercer study progress, and probed distribution and sufficiency of a $95 million 2023 appropriation and related inflationary funds. Members asked staff for more detailed budgets and scheduled follow-up work.
The School Facilities Select Committee heard a progress report Tuesday on roughly two dozen active capital construction projects and related budget resources, including the status of the Legislature's $95 million 2023 appropriation.
Del McOmie, director of the State Construction Department, and John Rexis of the School Facilities Division summarized high-priority work across the state, noting Campbell County High School and related transportation facilities are advancing through 60% design, a new 5-6 elementary for Laramie (to be named Mountain View) is at 95% and out to bid, and the ARP Elementary replacement has been bid and awarded and currently sits within budget.
"We have about 24 projects on this list that are currently active capital construction projects," Rexis said, listing sites from Albany and Campbell counties to Rock Springs and Jackson Hole. Shelby Carlson, the division's administrator, reported Mercer (facility-condition) studies remain active for 10 projects and flagged Conestoga Elementary, Pine Bluffs, Frontier Academy and several others as nearing decisions.
Why it matters: committee members pressed staff for clarity on supplemental enhancement costs, long-term maintenance planning and funding sources. Senator Rauschus pressed whether the Campbell County community review board had met and whether proposed enhancements or stadium work would be bonded; committee members cited enhancement estimates of roughly $3 million for some work and suggested stadium packages that could exceed $10 million.
Staff also reviewed the 95 million dollar funding "bucket," with line items that include $54.8 million tentatively allocated to the new 5-6 facility, $3.48 million earmarked to make the ARP bid whole, and other design and construction reserves. Carlson noted the plan currently reads about $98.6 million when including a 6% unanticipated allowance, saying the numbers are fluid and will be refined before the commission's July meeting.
Inflationary funds: Rexis reviewed a separate 2023 inflationary appropriation of $20,337,956, listing six projects that have drawn supplemental inflationary support, including the Riverton Auditorium ($1,122,338.32) and Little Powder K-8 ($3,395,893). He reminded the panel that the Legislature permitted carryover of unused inflation funds to address future supplemental needs.
Committee direction and next steps: members asked staff to provide more detailed historical enrollment and square-footage data, to clarify funding requests on Conestoga and other pending Mercers, and to present a final, commission-approved budget at the committee's August meeting. Rexis and Carlson agreed to return refined figures for design, construction and unanticipated contingencies.
