DELTA FORMS COMMITTEE TO STUDY SCHOOL FACILITIES

DELTA -- Voters in Delta School District will likely see a bond issue on the ballot within the next year to fund repairs or replacement of school buildings.

Superintendent Larry Beshears said he and members of the Board of Education are looking for community input.

"There is no doubt we're going to have to look at doing something to meet our facility needs," Beshears said. "It's a matter of how much we need to do and how much the community is willing to pay."

A committee is being formed to look at facility and equipment needs for the school district. Parents, teachers and other interested citizens are urged to join the committee.

Those interested in serving on the committee should contact Beshears at 794-2500.

Beshears said if all the repairs needed at the district's buildings were made, the bill would run over $1 million.

At the elementary school, which is over 30 years old, the heating system needs to be replaced.

The current system has pipes that run under the concrete floors. A major break in one of the pipes could mean closing school for several days.

"Last year we had a leak in one pipe. The hole was about the size of the end of your little finger. That pipe happened to be on the outside of the building. But we think the other pipes are in a similar condition."

To replace the old system with individual heat and air conditioning units for each room would cost an estimated $90,000. Beshears said the building needs to be properly insulated, at a cost of $80,000. If new insulation is put in place, it will mean removal of asbestos, and the building needs a new roof.

The total price tag for work at the elementary school is estimated at $250,000.

"Of course we could go with less. We go with no insulation or no air conditioning," Beshears said. "That's what we want the committee to look at."

The high school is made up of an old building, built in the 1920s, and a newer building constructed in the late 1960s.

"There has been some talk in the community of adding on to the new high school," Beshears said. "We need to decide to maintain what we have or upgrade our facilities."

The old high school has a coal furnace. "Talk about trouble getting coal delivered?" Beshears said. That heating system also needs to be replaced or repaired.

The newer building needs roof repair.

"We have to consider some major repair work or some sort of addition at the new high school," Beshears said.

The approximate cost of an addition at the high school is $800,000, Beshears said.

"That's a decision the community should make. Should we go into demolition of the old high school and building an addition or repairing what we have?"

In addition to that $800,000 is the cost of repairing the roof of the new building and demolition of the old building.

Beshears said the bus barn also needs a new roof.

"Besides just the final vote, the community needs to be involved in the decision making.

"The board nor I want to make all the decisions," Beshears said. "We are asking the community, `What are your goals?'"

Beshears said people in Delta have been supportive of their school district over the years.

"Most of the people who live here went to school here," he said. "They want quality education at an economical price."

In 1989, Delta voters approved a 63-cent tax increase to fund day-to-day operation of the school district.

While the school district is in sound financial shape, it does not have enough money in reserve to pay for any major repair, Beshears said.

The district also had $40,000 in state funding cut over the amount of state money it received last year.

Beshears said a couple of teachers and board members have said they are willing to serve on the committee.

"But what we really want is parents and taxpayers people who live here and pay the taxes.

"It's easy for me to say let's do these things then leave them with a bill to be paid," Beshears said.

Once the committee is formed, it will review the building situation and then make a recommendation.

"We will go through and examine buildings, look at the pipes and get some idea where to go," he said.

The school board had discussed the possibility of aiming for a November vote, but Beshears said he thinks that is unlikely.

"It's going to take some time. We won't be meeting once and get it all resolved. We will have some hours spent working this out."