Friday, March 26, 1999
School to shrink to limit expenses
Ft. Thomas board picks cheaper plan
BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT THOMAS — Plans for a new middle school here are being pared down again — this time with the hopes of shaving off 14,000 square feet and $1.3 million.
The reduction in space and cost is key to making sure the district has enough money to meet current requirements and provide a much-needed new building, say the three school board members who voted to scale back.
The issue is causing a split between newly elected members Tracy McMath, Brad Fennell and Steven Kimball and incumbents Ken Honchell and Teri Morris. Mr. Honchell and Mrs. Morris favor plans for a 104,000-square-foot building costing just under $15 million.
“We keep finding it's more than we can afford, and we'll need a new high school in a few years,” Ms. McMath said. “Everyone thinks we are derailing this project, or putting it off forever. We are just scaling it back.”
Team areas cut
At issue are several “unassigned spaces” in the middle school plan that were to be used as “team areas” where students from several classes could work together on assignments. Getting rid of those spaces would make the building more efficient, the three new board members say.
“The other board members pretty much feel like they want a building based on price,” Mrs. Morris said. “It's being more number driven than student or program driven.”
Mrs. Morris said she was disappointed that nearly two years of interviews with parents, students, administrators and school staff were being discounted by going to a smaller building.
“Right now, I'm not very hopeful,” Mrs. Morris said.
Information given to the board in the past indicated the school's philosophy of team teaching could not be accommodated in such a small space.
Tom Fernandez, architect with Steed-Hammond-Paul, said he will meet again with teachers and administrators to develop designs for the smaller middle school. Reducing the size will affect some of the program areas, he said.
“We plan to determine which program elements can be reduced or accommodated in another way,” Mr. Fernandez said.
Mr. Fennell said the board needs to be financially responsible.
“I think the planned facility was larger and more extravagant then we really need in the district,” Mr. Fennell said. “I would have a grave concern that we would spend any and all of our bond potential and additional money available on the middle school and not have needed money for needed repairs.”
Latest reduction
Plans for a new middle school and a new high school are years old. The Fort Thomas School Board has continuously reduced the size and scale of the middle school, first planned for 750 students at 141,000 square feet. A slow in student population shrank the building to 121,000 square feet, and then again to 104,000 square feet, to serve 600 students.
In the latest move, a motion to adopt the 104,000-square-foot building failed when Mr. Fennell, Mr. Kimball and Ms. McMath voted against it. Mr. Kimball then moved to accept a plan for a 90,000-square-foot building at $12.5 million. That motion died.
After a brief silence, board members discussed unnecessary spaces in the middle school and whether programs would suffer if more space were cut. Members also raised concerns about parking, district headquarters, roof repairs and operating expenses for the new building.
Mr. Fennell made a motion to adopt a 90,000-square-foot building costing $13.5 million. That motion passed, 3 to 2, with Mrs. Morris and Mr. Honchell voting no.
New plans will be presented at the school board's April 19 meeting.
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