The Garden City Telegram
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Leoti school construction set to begin in January
Published 12/15/2009 in Local News
By MONICA SPRINGER
LEOTI -- Members of the Wichita County community will see construction starting soon on one of several domes that will stand next to current school buildings.
Construction on a multi-purpose dome, which will be hooked onto the Wichita County Junior/Senior High School, should begin in January, Superintendent Jim Hardy said.
That dome will house locker rooms, restrooms and a multi-purpose room that will be used as a weight room and a conditioning area, Hardy said.
"People are asking a lot of questions," Hardy said, adding that the community is excited about the additional buildings.
"It's not just about the school. It's about the community," Hardy said. "It's a community event."
The Board of Education hired Custom Construction and Design Inc. of Herriman, Utah, to build the multi-purpose dome. The bid was $652,410.
That dome will be built using a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the district's capital outlay funds. The multi-purpose dome was not part of the bond that voters approved because it is funded differently.
On Monday, the Wichita County USD 467 Board of Education decided to hire the same firm, Custom Construction and Design Inc., to serve as the construction manager for the bond projects, pending review and approval of a contract.
In June, voters in Wichita County approved a $4.5 million school bond that will turn the current middle school into an elementary school for grades preschool through sixth grade, with an academic dome and a physical education dome attached; and a metal building will be built north of the high school to accommodate the vocational agricultural program.
In addition to adding domes, USD 467 is planning to save 40 to 50 percent of its utility costs, or about $100,000, by replacing lights, heating and air conditioning districtwide.
Hardy said he isn't sure when construction on the other domes would start or be completed, but he hopes students will be able to use the multi-purpose dome in August.
USD 467 will start bidding out projects once a final contract for the construction manager is approved, Hardy said.
The June vote was the district's fourth attempt to pass a bond issue to replace its aging facilities, including R.B.S. Elementary School, parts of which are 80 years old.
With approval of the bond issue, taxes on a $50,000 house will increase by $4.73 a month or $56.81 a year. On an $80,000 home, taxes will go up $7.57 a month or $90.90 a year.
On a $100,000 commercial property, taxes will increase $20.58 per month or $247 a year. On a $150,000 commercial property, taxes will increase $30.88 or $370.55 per year.
Hardy said he and the school board members appreciate the community's support. And once construction begins, they expect community members to come to the site and observe.
"They're contributing to this. They're making it happen," he said.
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