Unit 4 Budget Issues

Last week the News-Gazette highlighted the 10s of millions of dollars in cost increases for Unit 4's referendum projects. From their coverage:

Budget for Unit 4 referendum work now $31.4 million higher than projected in 2016
...
After that figure was presented to the referendum oversight committee at Monday's meeting, member Neil Strack asked officials whether it includes potential cost differences for International Prep Academy — one of the latest-scheduled projects with a current budget of $6 million. It didn't.

The $239.8 million number is an update from the original projected total of $208.4 million in 2016 and includes recent overages at Edison Middle School ($10 million), Central High School ($9.2 million) and Centennial ($8.1 million).

Potential overages could increase that budget. And depending on the judgment of board members, International Prep's 1957-era building could be the source of some of those overages, according to Elizabeth Stegmaier, the district's director of projects and planning. Officials are working on a capital projects plan at the board's request that will detail any needed work remaining, as well as any maintenance issues in need of fixing prior to updating a state-mandated health/life-safety report in 2023. The goal is to synchronize the capital projects work with any code-related updates — like fire alarms or accessibility — in a five-year plan...

Financing plans for the overages are still being worked out; board members have heard several presentations on available funding options, including selling land or using district "savings" or moving money from contingency funds...

As of Monday, there were 51 days for contractors to meet summer-specific construction goals prior to the return of students.

Full article here with additional information on weather issues and summer deadlines approaching for work to get done before students return.