Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Long Range Planning

Preliminary Report – 2/28/12

Last October, a Long Range Planning Task Force was assembled to evaluate and review the District’s physical plant renovation and structural needs using recently completed HVAC audits, roof and boiler audits, physical inspections and related documents, and also explore the future of MSD playfields.  The goal was to provide input and recommendations for the upgrade of physical facilities to the MSD Superintendent of Schools and Board of Trustees.

The committee met five times over a five month period.  In addition to using the recently completed audits, the committee toured all of our campuses.  The audits, tours and other information that was distributed to the Task Force members gave the ability to generate a detailed timeline of necessary renovation projects.

Task Force member Bill Belknap used his excellent City of Moscow planning skills to generate a spreadsheet with rough cost estimates and project timelines.  Bill’s work gave Todd Kimsey, who is a retired engineer, the ability to add additional detail and physical project ideas for the renovation of bathrooms, science rooms and other identified projects.

Now that we have a fairly detailed project spreadsheet and timeline document, I have the input needed to develop a concise recommendation to the Trustees.  At our February 9 meeting, I asked each task force member to identify their top five priorities that the MSD should undertake
in the next ten years.  The team agreed that non-negotiable items were roofs, boilers, and pavement already identified in the audits.  Timelines for all of the non-negotiable renovation items are now in place and will come to the Board each year.  The team then agreed that the other projects needing attention are bathrooms throughout the district, science room renovation at Moscow High School, single pane window replacement throughout the district and a recommendation to do something with Joseph Street.  It is understood by the Task Force, and I will continue to recommend that the Trustees must prioritize school property for future school development.   Other important priorities listed in no specific order include the renovation of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical to refit all buildings to current needs.

I am grateful for the time invested by the following Task Force Team Members:

  • Cliff Vogtman, MSD Maintenance and Grounds Supervisor
  • Bob Celebrezze, MHS Principal and secondary administrative representative
  • Bill Marineau, West Park Principal and elementary administrative representative
  • Susan Steele, Classified Representative
  • Matt Foss, Certified Representative
  • Greg Papineau, Parent Representative
  • Todd Kimsey, Parent Representative
  • Dale Graden, Parent Representative
  • Bill Belknap, City of Moscow Representative
  • Deb Adair, MSD Business Manager and District level Representative

Their time, patience and interest in the future of our District made this a very enjoyable and productive project.  As I stated, their work provided the input needed for district staff to develop a detailed and effective plan that I will bring as a formal recommendation to the MSD Board of Trustees in the very near future.