County school board approves Early Learning Center bids, bond refinancing
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
BCD President Michael Salsman discusses the bids received earlier this month for the expansion of the Nelson County Early Learning Center. BCD is serving as project manager for the ELC expansion and the Thomas Nelson High School auditorium project.
Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, 10 p.m. — The Nelson County Board of Education approved construction bids for expanding the district’s Early Learning Center on Cardinal Drive at its meeting Tuesday night.
The project will add additional classrooms for a total of 14 — 10 for preschool and four classrooms for daycare. Once completed, the district’s preschool will have room for about 400 children. Construction on the project will begin in the Spring with the goal of completion by August 2017.
Tim Hockensmith, the district’s chief operating officer, recommended the board accept the lowest bid on all parts of the project with the exception of one — drywall.
According to Michael Salsman, president of BCD Inc., the district’s construction manager for the project, the drywall contractor’s bid had specific qualifications for its bid. Salsman said the qualifications left open the chance for the costs increasing. The Kentucky Department of Education does not allow qualifications in bids, he said.
After discussing the problem with the bidder, he said the bidder said he would not drop the qualifications. For those reasons, Salsman recommended the district accept the next lowest bidder.
BOND REFINANCING. The board adjourned its meeting and convened as the Nelson County School District Finance Corporation in order to approve a resolution to refinance its 2006 and 2007 bond issues.
The 2006 bond issue was to build Horizon Academy and the Central Office, and the 2007 bond issue paid for renovation projects and the ATC and the Nelson County High School athletic facilities.
The Nelson County board of education poses for photos with the January “Expect the Best” award winners. The winners are, front row from left, ELC parent volunteer Patricia Gilliland; Foster Heights classified employee Misty Roller; Foster Heights teacher Mary Gagne; and NCHS student Haley Abell.
Refinancing the bonds will save the district money $470,000 over the life of the bonds, or about $32,549 per year.
“It doesn’t extend the life of the bonds,” Hockensmith said. “We’re just saving $30-40,000 a year by refinancing them.”
Reducing the district’s bond payments will also raise the amount of money the district can borrow for construction projects, Hockensmith said. The ELC expansion and the Thomas Nelson auditorium project will nearly exhaust the district’s bonding ability, he said.
DRAFT BUDGET. Hockensmith presented the district’s draft budget for 2016-17, which he said anticipates no increase in state SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) funding, and a 4 percent tax revenue increase.
The budget remains in flux, and will until Gov. Bevin’s budget is presented to the Kentucky General Assembly and approved in some form, he said.
There are no raises anticipated in the draft budget beyond the normal step raises, which this year is 1.45 percent, he said.
Hockensmith said a recommended district-wide wi-fi upgrade may need to be adjusted depending on how the district’s budget evolves. The district will be able to accomplish the wi-fi project thanks to grants and the E-Rate program, which will pay 80 percent of the cost.
In other business, the board:
— set Feb. 15th as the make-up day for missing Tuesday, Jan. 12 due to weather;
— was honored by Superintendent Anthony Orr for its service to the community as part of National School Board Appreciation Month.
— presented the district’s “Expect the Best” awards to ELC parent volunteer Patricia Gilliland; Foster Heights classified employee Misty Roller; Foster Heights teacher Mary Gagne; and NCHS student Haley Abell.
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