New Kent supervisors accept Historic School PPEA bid

New Kent supervisors unanimously approved acceptance of an unsolicited PPEA proposal from Marengo Management for the second phase of the Historic School project during last night’s (Feb. 19) special public hearing.

County attorney Michele Gowdy recapped the second phase of the plan, consisting of replacing the east wall, renovating the kitchen, and the demolition and creation of complete plans to submit to the Department of Education for approval.

Last December, supervisors sent out the PPEA for bid. After 45 days, no other competitive bids were received. Without any new proposals, supervisors took the next steps in the process, holding a public hearing.

Five speakers stepped to the podium, voicing concerns and viewpoints on the project. First to the podium was Ralph Westbay, who not only lives in New Kent, but served as the school’s financial director until last December.

“I am adamantly opposing this project because in the end, it will end up doubling the cost per pupil,” said Westbay, noting operation costs may be more than what county officials expected. “You [the board of supervisors] have to ask why other contractors did not bid for this job.”

Westbay’s background came to the forefront, as he depicted the complications of transitioning the Historic School into an elementary school for grades K-5.

“You will have less than the 21 rooms projected in the plan,” continued the former school employee. “When schools were first approached with this project, they were asked if it could be done at $15 million. Now, that cost is down to $8.5 million.

“It’s going to be a nightmare,” he continued. “You will end up spending $20 million for 300 students. I know your heart is in the right place, but this is going to be a huge waste of money.”

However, former state superintendent of schools Dr. Bill Bosher and current DECIDESmart representative, disagreed with Westbay’s stance, pointing to previous work conducted by Taylor Moore and Marengo Management.

“I have worked with Mr. Moore since day one and his commitment and quality to the community is superb,” said Bosher. “I know this project breaks many conventions, but I have been in every school system and everyone wants something different.

“If you pull it off, you will have a model that everybody will look at,” he concluded.

Bill O’Keefe said moving forward with the project will be the right decision for county supervisors.

“I’ve been following this saga for more than a year,” said O’Keefe. “Then, it was acceptable for the renovation of the school, but now, they said it’s not.

“Numbers and enrollment are always changing,” he continued. “Supervisors made the right decision to take control away from the schools and handle this project.”

Theresa Balback, who is an environmental contractor by trade, opposed the progression of the project until more information is received.

“Based on what was available for review by the county, I didn’t see any allocations or coverage if the project was not completed on time,” she said. “I wanted to know since this is a historical renovation, would there be any tax relief?

“I have witnessed many other historical projects,” continued Belback. “I want to see Marengo Management handle the operations for a year after the completion to make sure equipment is functioning and everything is working properly.”

Former New Kent resident Dennis Mountcastle, the project manager for the Historic School, commented on his personal attachment to the building and the school system.

“I used to live in New Kent for 52 years and I went to that school when it was one year old,” said Mountcastle. “This is not a job for me, but an opportunity because I have a lot of personal interest in this project.

“I am willing to do whatever it takes to make the school work,” he concluded, emphasizing his personal vow to make the school as glorious as it was when he attended.

After the public comment closed, District 5 supervisor Ray Davis asked Westbay to address questions about the size requirements and costs.

“How will this affect us financially if we’re putting grades K-5 in the school?” asked Davis.

“The rooms will have to be bigger,” said Westbay, pointing out state guidelines that require K-1 classes to have larger rooms than grades 2-5. “Factor in the operation costs for hiring new staff and transportation, then you are looking at nearly $11.1 million in costs for the next 10 years.

“By comparison, if you go K-5 in this school for 450 kids instead of 700 for a new building, the costs will escalate. To top it off, the building is not in an ideal location.”

Despite receiving feedback, Davis took to the floor with his motion.

“We’ve been waiting long enough,” said Davis, as he made the motion, passing 5-0.

With the PPEA passed, the county must wait 30 days before entering into a contract with Marengo. The Historic School is expected to open for the 2015-16 school year.

Marengo Management maintained responsiblity for the first phase of the Historic School renovations. The $1.8 million project includes renovations to the south wing and courtyard.

School officials still remain in the dark when it comes to the financial side of creating a third elementary, although some speculation places the amount in the $7 million range. Also, school officials are unsure if the bid includes cost for furnishing and starting up a new elementary.