The Kenai Peninsula Borough estimates it’s between $10 and $12 million short of what it needs to complete the list of school maintenance projects borough voters approved in 2022.
That’s according to Borough Mayor Peter Micciche, who organized a status update on those projects ahead of Tuesday’s assembly meeting.
“That's why we have tough decisions to work out with KPBSD and all of you on going forward on some of these projects,” he said. “But it's significantly short.”
Voters overwhelmingly supported the 2022 bond. It gave the borough permission to incur up to $65.5 million in debt to address deferred maintenance at Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Schools. After the bond passed, estimated project costs shot up due to inflation. The borough says high costs stalled work on some of the projects.
So, they’re trying to cut costs.
The borough is removing from the bond scope the planned relocation of the school district’s administrative offices. That’s in addition to putting $5 million worth of planned improvements to the borough and school district maintenance shop on hold.
John Hedges is the borough’s purchasing and contracting director and oversees bond projects. He said Tuesday two of the 10 projects are almost complete.
The first is the replacement of the track and field at Seward High School. Hedges says the field’s ready for use this football season. Contractors are waiting for good weather to install the new track.
“They're prepared to complete the work if the weather will allow,” he said. “If it doesn't, then we'll arrange a way to complete that in the spring.”
The other is construction of a new concession stand and restroom facility at Kenai Central High School. The project was a late addition to the bond package and came after lobbying from the Kenai City Council. The council said it’s needed to accommodate bigger crowds at the football field. Hedges said construction will conclude by Dec. 6.
The other projects have mixed statuses. Design is complete for roof replacements at Hope and Nikiski North Star Elementary schools. Improvements to Homer High School’s front entrance is expected to start next spring. A call for bids for safety improvements at Kenai Middle School is almost ready for publication.
Still unresolved is the future of the two most expensive projects on the list.
Forty million dollars was the original combined price tag for the reconstruction of Soldotna Elementary School and reconfiguration of Soldotna Prep School. Now, the borough estimates those two projects will cost $53.5 million – a 33% increase.
“So that's when we've gone back to the drawing board, and we've tried to come up with some other solutions to close that budget or work through those same objectives at a cheaper cost,” he said.
As originally proposed Soldotna Elementary School would be reconstructed as a way to address its aging facility. The borough would also repurpose the currently vacant Soldotna Prep building to house Soldotna Montessori, Connections Homeschool, River City Academy and the district’s administrative offices.
Hedges says they’re considering multiple alternatives, including moving Soldotna Elementary students to the Soldotna Prep building.
“Our objective there is to leave no stone unturned,” he said. “We want to investigate every option that we have for housing Soldotna’s Elementary program, and the other components associated with these two projects.”
State law requires districts to prepare what’s called an education specification, or ed spec, before a new school building is constructed. The state regulates school construction more strictly than other types of buildings.
Last year, the borough spent $123,000 on an ed spec for Soldotna Elementary School. District staff say that report outlined multiple reconfiguration options for Soldotna Prep School. The borough hasn’t made that report public and denied a public information request for a copy.
Hedges said the borough’s planning to put out a request for proposals for a Soldotna Prep ed spec this month. His memo says the intent of the ed spec is to develop renovation of Soldotna Prep School to house Soldotna Elementary students.
