11-13-1995 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES or 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 of528,975,000 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. Huit inquired about open enrollment and the cost incurr^ by the schools for these students. Mich said the number is 378 students, but with 70 Orono students leaving tor 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 reterendum had more to do with improving the spaces. The middle school w’ould house the same number of students as it was built for in 1951 (400), but the facility itself is inadet]uate for the needs. Mich said the purpose of the referendum is to position the buildings tor the tliture 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 19t>8. 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 tlie 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 traftic to handle parent cars and buses as well as to provide additional pai king. 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 ot 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 centra] campus The only aaJitionaJ 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.