Public hearing for 10-year school facilities plan changed to August 17

The Morgan County School Board has rescheduled the public hearing for their 10-year 2010 Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan (CEFP) for Tuesday, August 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Their regularly scheduled board meeting will follow at 7 p.m. where they will adopt the facilities plan.

The hearing date was changed to August 17 because the state told them that their original August 31 date would be too late, school board president Laura Smith said.

The full 10-year facilities plan and the steering committee’s recommendations for each school are available for public viewing at the school board office. Williamson Shrive Architects, Inc. compiled the plan.
No school closings are advised at this time. Recommendations are that all schools keep their present use and current grade configurations.

Greenwood Elementary

The committee recommended that Greenwood Elementary remain open and receive site improvements, building renovations and a new addition with classrooms, kitchen, toilets and administrative offices.

Berkeley Springs High School

Under the facilities plan recommendations, the high school site would be expanded and improved, building renovations would continue and appropriate additions would be put in place. The campus buildings would also be connected with enclosed corridors.

The high school gymnasium project was omitted from the 10-year facilities plan. It will be discussed at the public hearing, Smith said.

The facilities plan ensures that buildings are maintained and don’t fall into disrepair, she said. The plan is a living document that will be continually reevaluated, Smith noted.

Widmyer Elementary

Widmyer Elementary would receive site improvements, building renovations and a new classroom.

Intermediate School

Site improvements to the play areas for Warm Springs Intermediate School were recommended.

Middle School

A classroom “house” addition and site play improvements were advised for Warm Springs Middle School.

Pleasant View Elementary

The committee recommended that the school remain a permanent facility for pre-kindergarten to fifth grade students in Eastern Morgan County.

Paw Paw Schools

Site improvements and building recommendations were suggested for Paw Paw Elementary.

Paw Paw High School would receive site improvements, building renovations and a classroom addition.

Cost

The total cost of implementing the Comprehensive Educational Facility Plan is estimated at $7,863,369. Work includes roof replacements, electrical and security upgrades, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades and maintenance.

Some $5.4 million of the projects would be submitted to the West Virginia School Building Authority as Major Improvement Projects
(MIP) and NEEDS project. Around $1.77 million of the funding would be local monies.

The total cost of the facilities plan does not include the price of the Berkeley Springs High School gymnasium renovations. The last estimate of the gymnasium project was $3,872,804, which included a $300,000 local match. The project did not receive approval for School Building Authority funding this spring.