Diana Stricker Photo
Branford’s Board of Education (BOE) voted unanimously to recommend major renovations at both Walsh Intermediate School and the former Branford Hills Elementary School. The board is asking town officials to form a building committee as one of the first formal steps in the process.
Two options for the elementary school involved either renovating the aging Sliney school, or renovating and expanding the former Branford Hills School to serve as the new Sliney School. The board on Wednesday chose the Branford Hills option.
Frank Carrano, who chairs the BOE, said that although the board voted on its preferences, it will be up to the committee to make decisions and determine the scope of any projects. “We’re just recommending them. It doesn’t mean it’s final,” Carrano told the board at Wednesday’s meeting.
Carrano said the administrative offices currently housed at 1111 Main St. across from the town Green would be moved to either of the renovated schools. He said if the board’s recommendations become a reality, then the administrative building and Sliney would both be vacated.
“This process would actually free up two buildings that will go back to the town.” He said the buildings could be used by the town for other purposes or could be sold. Both are located in the heart of town. In recent years a number of proposals have been put forth regarding BOE headquarters, but they did not materialize.
School Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez said it is time to ask town officials to form a building committee “so we can start moving this down the road more officially.”
The BOE has been studying options for the schools for several months, and hired an architectural firm to do a feasibility study. Carrano said the fate of the school projects is now in the town’s hands. “What happens on the town side, will happen,” he said.
School districts and towns are required by the State Department of Education (SDE) to establish a building committee as one of the multiple steps in the complex process of applying for a state grant for partial reimbursement of school construction costs.
When board member Michael Krause asked about the authority of the committee, Hernandez replied, “The building committee has jurisdiction over the project.”
Carrano explained that since the town owns the school buildings, the control of any construction or renovation projects lies with the building committee that will be formed by the town. “The building committee represents the town taking control of the project,” he said. Funding for any construction projects has to be approved by the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting.
Board member Mario Sabitini asked if it’s possible that the committee could look at other options without board approval. Hernandez said the committee does not have to come back to the BOE for approval.
Board member John Prins asked if two committees might be needed since more than one school is involved. Carrano said that is a possibility.
Proposed Costs
The architectural firm of Silver/Petrucelli & Associates presented a feasibility study last month outlining renovation options for Walsh and Sliney Elementary School. Click here to read that story.
The feasibility study stated it could cost $109.8 million to renovate and expand Walsh Intermediate School — an estimated $97 million after state reimbursement. The estimated cost to renovate and expand the former Branford Hills Elementary School to serve the Sliney school population could cost $32.7 million, with the town’s share being $27 million after state reimbursement.
Hernandez said Wednesday he realized there was some “shock” in regard to the dollar figures, but said those are only preliminary estimates.
Efforts have been ongoing for years to renovate Walsh,which was built in 1972 as an open concept school with few interior walls. In 1998, the BOE commissioned a feasibility study by Kosinski Enterprises Inc., which recommended renovating the school. In the 88-page report, the architects said the facility did not “meet current educational and code standards and thereby compromises function and safety at the school.” No action was ever taken on the Kosinski report.
State Requirements For Committees
According to the State Department of Education Web site, the building committee “is in the driver’s seat of the project” and will interact with design professionals, the BOE, parents, teachers, and the SDE.
The SDE states that committee members should be selected for professional expertise, such as architects, engineers, financial advisors, and contractors; but should also include members from the education field; and from the community. The SDE cautions that care should be taken when appointing committees to avoid potential conflicts of interest, and advises that members should understand it is a long-range commitment since projects can take years to complete.
School districts and towns take careful steps to follow the SDE’s guidelines for construction and renovation projects since the process is tied to reimbursement.
State Rep. Pat Widlitz (D‑Branford-Guilford), previously told the Eagle that the SDE calculates reimbursement for school construction on a sliding scale formula depending on a town’s wealth. According to that scale, Branford would be reimbursed at 37.14 percent for major renovation; and 27.14 percent for new school construction. However, if a district can prove that it is cheaper to build a new school rather than renovate, the SDE may use the 37.14 percent rate. Widlitz chairs the state’s finance, revenue and bonding committee.
The last major project in the Branford School District was in 1992 when Mary Murphy and Tisko elementary schools were renovated. Branford High School was renovated in the late 1990’s.
###
