OKing school renovations, improvement bond is smart

Thursday, March 4, 2010

To the Editor:

Some residents have questioned why the School Board is proposing a $7.8 million dollar bond in this time of financial uncertainty. The bond includes necessary renovations to McKelvie Intermediate School and urgent items on the 10 year Capital Improvement Plan at Memorial and Peter Woodbury Schools. It is because of these fiscal times that we are proposing the bond, which enables the work to be done at a great savings to Bedford taxpayers.

Capital Improvements in the Bedford School District schools are planned over 10-year cycles and added to the operating budget each year. The work at McKelvie, however, has significant cost factors that make it prohibitive to place in our regular budget. The original building was built in two stages in 1964 and 1966. The large addition was added in 1985. Many of the systems and structures from the original sections are outdated and do not meet current life safety codes. The boiler and electric hot water systems are outdated and inefficient, driving increased fuel consumption. Spare parts are not available and when needed, are costly. There are many other concerns in and around the building that urgently need to be addressed. The parking lot around the building does not allow for proper drainage away from the building.

The Capital Improvement Plan for Peter Woodbury and Memorial Schools consists mainly of fire sprinkler systems (under strong recommendation of the Bedford Fire Department), roof repairs, parking lot reconstruction and traffic flow redesigns. This work can be done much more efficiently and inexpensively as Bedford can group these projects together and benefit from volume pricing and economies of scale.

Bedford voters can save approximately $2 million (conservatively) over the next 10 years if they approve the bond. Construction costs and bond interest rates are low right now. The district has already received preliminary approval from the New Hampshire Department of Education for this project. This is important as the legislature is reviewing how the state will aid local school district capital expenditures in the future. They have said that they will honor bonds passed this spring, however. In any event, it is likely that Bedford would get less aid, if any, in future than the anticipated $2m for this project. Hence the urgency to approve this bond in the upcoming March elections.

Approving the McKelvie/CIP Bond allows the district to manage costs in our aging buildings more efficiently and provides a stable tax impact. Please support all of the articles on the Bedford School District warrant Tuesday, March 9. Voting is 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at Bedford High School. Learn more about the bond and all of the warrant articles at the school district Web site, www.sau25.net.

David Sacks, Chairman

Terry Wolf, Vice-Chairman

Cindy Chagnon

Bob Donahue

Don Graff

Bedford School Board