With bond passed, District 13 takes next steps

The District 13 Board of Education is scheduled to meet with an architect Dec. 17 to begin outlining the scope of work that needs to be done as per the approved bond vote on Dec. 8. The $32 million bond will fund extensive repairs and upgrades to the district’s four schools, including security and fire alarm systems, renovations to existing facilities and new construction.

Alan Groveman, interim assistant superintendent of business, said that the board would meet with the district’s financial adviser, an architect and the state Education Department. No architectural plans were allowed to be drawn before the bond passed, he said, so having them created will be one of the first steps.

Once financial and architectural plans are in place, they must be approved by the state. Projects will be scheduled based on how quickly they are expected to get approved by the state, Groveman said. Things like paving take less time to be approved than work that might require an engineering study, so consulting with the architect will help determine the best sequence of projects.

The board will issue a request for proposals, and construction would most likely start this summer, Groveman said. “When you go for professional services, you don’t just want the person who’s the least costly,” he said. The board will consider multiple factors during its contractor hiring process, like previous experience dealing with school districts.

“The architectural and management firms will assign their employees to various projects based on the complexity of the project and the experience and skill of the employee.”

Bids are put out by project, and then the board will meet to determine the most cost effective method of getting these projects done.

“It’s an involved process,” Groveman said. “This is not a single-family home where you get the contractor there the next day.”

The district’s financial adviser will help determine how much money needs to be borrowed and when. The later the money is borrowed, the more time it will take for taxpayers to feel the impact, Groveman said. “We’re not borrowing money until we need to pay for the projects,” he said.

It could be three to four years until the bulk of the work is done. The board will try to schedule any particularly disruptive work when school isn’t in session, Groveman said. Updates can be found on the district website, and information will continue to be provided at the board’s monthly meetings.

“I would like to thank the residents of the district for passing the bond,” said board President Toni Pomerantz. “We’re looking forward to bringing these buildings into the 21st century.”