Brighton School District #1 taking steps for facility planning

The Brighton School District #1 is in the midst of a facility planning process and has taken a few steps recently to move that along.

In the last two months, the School Board interviewed several construction management and architectural firms before ultimately making the selection and approving CG Schmidt as construction manager and FGM Architects.

There’s a role for community members too.

Here is an explanation of the process from Matt Eggert, district administrator, in answer from questions from westofthei.com:

WOTIWhat prompted the school district to take on this initiative?

Eggert — A facility maintenance plan will assess the appearance and condition of the building to help the district determine immediate, short-term, and long-term building needs. The evaluation by our consultants will include both an exterior and interior audit and thorough review of existing floor plans, security maps, engineering surveys, and energy efficiency reports to keep students and staff safe and comfortable while they attend school or work in the building. It will also help the board with budget forecasting and is needed to establish a Fund 46 (capital improvements fund). We want all stakeholders involved in the process, so there is transparency on building needs and input on how to move forward over time.

WOTI — The news release mentions a District’s Facility Advisory Committee (FAC). Are you looking for people willing to serve on this? If so, what are the responsibilities and qualifications you are looking for?

Eggert — Yes, we are looking for any community members who have an interest and a willingness to serve on the FAC. We want a broad representation of community members with varying levels of expertise. Currently, volunteers include: three Brighton teachers (Mrs. Hetland, Mrs. Keller, and Mr. Mork); Mark Salerno for his past work as a school board treasurer and his strong financial background; Bob Nikoali and Matt Erdmann for their construction expertise; current board member Judy Uhlenhake; and Sue Crane as the Town of Brighton Chairwoman for her knowledge and commitment to the Brighton community.

WOTI — Has a time frame been established for how long this planning process will take?

Egggert — We plan to have our facility needs assessment completed in the next month, and then have the FAC review the report and identify areas that may require additional investigation. The FAC will make their final recommendations to the board on how to proceed with any urgent and 2-5-year maintenance items by the end of April. We will continue to involve the FAC on an as needed basis for purposes of prioritizing and decision making.

110 Shares

Comments are closed.

  • Follow us on

  • Archives