By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

    The South Portland City Council is moving forward
“expeditiously” with a bond proposal for the high school renovations to
allow the school board and school administrators ample time to educate
the public on the need for the project and the associated costs.

    That was the message put forth by City Manager Ted
Jankowski and the council during Monday’s workshop with school
officials, architects from Harriman Associates, Finance Director Rob
Coombs and the city’s financial advisor Joe Cuetara.

    The workshop was a continuation of the discussion
from a March 26 workshop in which councilors were briefed on the
project, and more specifically on the site’s problematic
characteristics. Earlier that afternoon, councilors toured the high
school to get a first hand look at the building and site issues.
Councilor Maxine Beecher said the tour was an “eye-opener.”

      Before Dan Cecil, leader of Harriman’s
educational team, could get far in his presentation, Councilor Linda
Boudreau said she would “have a hard time talking about money” unless
someone could provide her with a valid reason for not building on a
different site.

    Cecil said that issue came up very early in the
process of looking at the various options for the high school. He said
the Wainwright Fields complex was initially discussed as a possibility,
but further research determined deed restrictions prevented the land
from being used for any purpose other than playing fields. City
Attorney Mary Kahl interjected and said the city is currently in
litigation regarding the athletic complex and the land was never
available for construction.

    Another option, Cecil said, was converting the high
school into a middle school, but significant work would still need to
be done to address issues within the building. He also said the city
has “a lot of infrastructure invested already” such as the auditorium,
track/football/soccer complex and 2,000 seat bleachers that are more
suitable for a high school. 

    Cecil said renovating the current building is the
“green thing” to do. Even if the referendum were to fail, Cecil said
the city would still be required under new Department of Environmental
Protection regulations to treat all of the water on the site and bring
everything up to code. Cecil determined bringing the site up to code
could cost approximately $1.2 million.

    At the suggestions of Councilor Jim Hughes, Cecil
said he would be interested in looking at the possibility of using the
water that currently runs across the site to power the new building and
installing a vortex system, similar to that at the Maine Mall, in which
sediments are released from the water as it moves in a circular motion.

    Regarding renovations to the existing structure,
Cecil provided the council with a breakdown of the project by building
phase and by cost. Phase one, which includes a new two story classroom
addition on the Highland Avenue side of the building, a new two story
addition for a new cafeteria, kitchen, and service delivery entrance;
and a new three story addition to house a first floor library and
second floor science classrooms, could go out to bid by Jan. 2009.
Cecil projected construction would begin by late winter or early spring
of 2009.

    At least three crews will be needed, as three wings
will be constructed simultaneously, Cecil said. The initial addition of
12 classrooms will reduce the number of portable classes needed as
construction progresses.

    In the second year of construction, Cecil said there
would probably be a need for six portable classrooms. The project
budget includes funds for a year’s worth of trailers, he said.

    A month or so after phase one is under way,
construction will begin on the new one story gymnasium with new locker
rooms, weight room, and exercise room. Renovations to the Beal Gym will
encompass the final stage of the project and begin in the summer of
2012. Cecil said renovations would be minor and aimed at life safety
and ADA upgrades.

    During phase two of the project, the existing “Annex” building and library will be demolished.

    Cecil said it would be too expensive to remove the
pilings that currently support the annex so new foundations will be
constructed around the pilings. Following demolition in the summer of
2010, construction of a new three-floor classroom and administration
wing will begin in that area. This addition will be controlled by a new
energy management system.

    In addition to Beal renovations, phase three will
include gutting the original building to remove asbestos from the roof
system and cinder block walls. Mechanical and plumbing systems will be
replaced and there will be new lighting and technology systems
throughout the building. Similar renovations will be done
simultaneously to the connector wing between the auditorium and the
original building. One of the final steps in this phase will be
switching all existing controls over to the new energy management
system to put the complex on one system.

    The total project cost is estimated at $55.6
million. With $29.4 million in interest, the total annual cost will be
$85 million. The annual total average home impact will be $5,181 over
more than twenty years.

    “It is a multi-phase bonding approach to minimize
annual cost to taxpayers and to maximize potential to invest the bond
proceeds while waiting for construction phases to be completed,” said
Jankowski. He said the city’s financial advisor had “proposed a very
sound, and conservative approach to funding the project.”

    Jankowski said there was a request to put the bond
to referendum in November. If approved by the council, the bond will
appear on the ballot with a state vote on bonding and two council seat
elections.

    Kahl and Jankowski are currently determining whether
or not the plans have to go before the planning board before the bond
vote. If that step is not required, Jankowski said the bond would come
before the council at its first or second meeting in May.