Count Down - Day 3

Opinions mixed on new Pioneer school office
 SHELBY ASHLINE
Recorder Staff

Sunday, June 19, 2016

NORTHFIELD — The November announcement that the Pioneer Valley Regional School District’s central office would be relocated due to mold has been met with criticism from residents, though the architects who examined the building claim the issues were much bigger than mold.
John Kuhn, senior principal of Kuhn Riddle Architects of Amherst, the company that performed a feasibility study on the building, said to renovate the building would have been a waste of taxpayer money.
The Recorder reported in November that the three separate single-story modulars were causing concerns because of foundation cracks, rust and roof leaks, as well as mold, along with outdated electrical, communication and alarm systems.
At the time, Kuhn Riddle Architects presented four options to the building and grounds subcommittee: repair the modules for $145,186, repair and renovate the modules for $763,433, demolish and replace the modules for $979,380 or demolish the modules and replace with new stick construction for $1,282,509.
The building and grounds subcommittee presented these options to the School Committee, which decided to instead lease office space at 168 Main St. in Northfield for an annual cost of $36,360.

“The decision was easy, as the annual cost of this leased space is equal to what the district had been paying for utilities and the rented space includes utilities,” said David Young, who was on the building and grounds subcommittee when the decision was made.
However, Scott McKusick, a self-employed clerk of the works in Northfield who examined the mold report produced by Nature’s Way Inc. of Springfield, feels the situation was misrepresented in a variety of ways and that the building is worth repairing.
McKusick has worked as a construction consultant since 1996, overseeing contractors to ensure that they are constructing buildings in accordance with the architects’ plans. In his 20 years of experience, he has worked primarily on schools and public housing projects.
McKusick justified his position by explaining that if he had to build a comparable facility today, it would be worth well over $1 million.
The mold situation, he said, which was presented as the main health risk, could easily be remedied by purchasing BLS12K air purifiers, which cost $350 each.
McKusick went before the School Committee to explain his opinion that the mold was not severe at all, and to ask for answers as to why the offices should be moved.
“No one could come up with a reason,” he said, adding that the committee members tended to pass around the question.
McKusick also argues the issue of an outdated electrical system on the grounds that the building is only 20 years old, having been built in the 1990s.
“There’s no way that the electrical is really an issue for them,” he said. “(The modulars are) much younger than most people’s houses.
“We’ve had two superintendents since the late ’90s and they were all fine with having those modulars,” McKusick continued.
McKusick also expressed concern over the loss of community that results from moving the central office from the Pioneer campus.
“There was a constant stream of students and administrative staff moving back and forth,” he said of the old set-up. “You won’t have the administrative staff getting to know the kids.”
By contrast, Kuhn said the existing foundation was the only part of the modulars worth saving. After having several structural and mechanical consultants look at the buildings, Kuhn said he would recommend that the modulars be completely torn down.
“These modular buildings were energy inefficient, poorly laid out, intended to be temporary, have insufficient air handlers and one or more towns turned down incremental improvements over the years such as adding central air conditioning for being unwise investments,” Young explained.
“Those buildings have reached the end of their life and to renovate those buildings would be a true waste of money,” Kuhn said. “I can say that emphatically ... I think people are mistaking remediating a little bit of mold with a building that was not worth putting money into.”



 One of the  statements that rang out loudly here was ,
“You won’t have the administrative staff getting to know the kids.”
Ruth Miller has made it clear , relationships with the kids is not high on her list. She proved that at the Seniors going away party. She didn't even know these kids or names, really! After a year .

With all the teachers leaving or being removed , why not put the Superintendents office in the school till all this can be resolved? This is money being taken from what could go towards the kids or fix the building .

Move Guidance around and put  Superintendent in that area. I am sure all this could be worked out . I bet  the idea of fixing the old  building will be a great idea quick .


But I also thought we would get a superintendent that would fit this school and come from a district with a close proximity  of our standards not from an area where Community Educational Climate is Below Average.

http://www.rentalguide.net/Schools/MA/County/Worcester_County/Narragansett_Regional_School_District/2500444559/?SchoolCity=Templeton 



 This is just abuse of tax dollars that could of  been used.