10-23-1995 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 23, 1995 (Dr. Mich - School Referendum - Continued) Mich said the major portion of the referendum cost of $28,975,000 is for building the K- 3 and middle schools. He said there are competing interests in the City with the desire for open space and rural density housing conflicting with the desire for quality schools. In order to compete with other school districts, it costs the taxpayers more money. Hurr inquired about open enrollment and the cost incurred by the schools for these students. Mich said the number is 378 students; but with 70 Orono students leaving for open enrollment into other schools, the net gain is 300 students. Mich said the same facilities are needed whether for 2600 or 2900 students. He said the referendum had more to do with improving the spaces. The middle school would house the same number of students as it was built for in 1951 (400), but the facility itself is inadequate for the needs. Minch said the purpose of the referendum is to position the buildings for the future. An example was the high school's need for science rooms. The board looks at the colleges for the needs the high school students require. The high school was built in 1968. At that time, there were relative few girls involved in physical education activities, and the building needs to be changed to accomodate the physical education needs. Additional playing fields are also required. Mich said there are no sprinklers in the high school or in the building in Maple Plain. There is also the safety issue of Old Crystal Bay Road. The • plan is to redesign the area for traffic to handle parent cars and buses as well as to provide additional parking. • Callahan said he had a philosophical problem with building to accomodate more students and the end result of leveling off of students and needing less buildings. He noted the social movement toward population stabilization. Secondly, Callahan was concerned with the growth to the western part of the community. With one central campus, the growing western segment might desire to form a separate school district or its own facilities. In response to this, Mich said there are programs now mandated that were not in 1970. There are specialized areas, technology has changed, computer labs did not exist, so the school is unable to accomodate the same number of students in the same size building with all these additional needs. The space will accomodate the growth of technology while maintaining 4 schools on one site. The staff would remain the same with the move to the central campus. The only additional overhead would be for utilities and janitors. If more students arrive, then more teachers would be needed. If real growth occurred with a new school, the costs would rise. 9