Guy Chamberlain

Bond money has been released by county commissioners to replace the Pineville and Bain elementary schools in the Charlotte Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Schools. Guy Chamberlain, Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, said numbers were run on the two schools and it was about the same cost to replace them than renovate them. Construction cost on each school is estimated at $11 million. Add design costs, furnishing and other ancillary items, and the cost per school is closer to $15 million. Each school will have 39 classrooms, special area classrooms, a computer lab, media center, cafeteria and gym. Construction on the Pineville school is expected to begin in October, with the Bain school scheduled to go under construction in January of next year. Both will be LEED certified. "We want to be able to demonstrate that we are building sustainable schools that meet LEED certification, and we'll point to Pineville as proof," said Chamberlain.

$59.5 million in green repair grants approved in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has approved $59.5 million in green repair grants that will benefit 23 projects in 12 districts. The program is designed to improve learning environments for students and teachers, reduce energy use and generate cost efficiencies. The program covers repair or replacement of roofs, windows and/or boilers in schools that otherwise are structurally and functionally sound. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis. More than 175 school repair projects are part of the program. During its six-year history, the MSBA has put more than $7.9 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. The awards have saved municipalities more than $2.9 billion in local interest costs they would have been saddled with, providing cash flow to the communities during the current economically difficult times.

Coalition of colleges hoping to build ultra-high-speed computer networks

Blair Levin

Faster than a speeding bullet... That's what a coalition of nearly 30 universities in the United States hope their proposed ultra-high-speed computer network will be. They are shooting for Internet service in communities surrounding their campuses that is several hundred times faster than what is available commercially. Among the participants are Arizona State University, the University of Michigan, Howard University, Case Western Reserve University, Duke University, the University of Washington and others. And one of the best things about the proposal, according to Blair Levin, fellow at the Aspen Institute who is heading the project is that, "We're not asking for government money." Instead, Levin said he is hopeful the private sector will fund the initiative. The colleges involved are about to start making calls on big telecommunications companies about ways to attract new ventures to their areas with super-fast computing.

  

Design phase for new high school in Frisco studied by board members

Now in the design phase, the Frisco (Texas) ISD Board of Trustees is discussing the development of a new high school. Once the design phase is completed, the plans for the school will be put out for bids. The plans are hoped to be finalized by the spring of next year, with a groundbreaking slated for summer of next year. Ideally, say school officials, some 750 ninth and 11th grade students will be housed in the school, which will be designed to hold more students than the current school. It will take some two years to complete, with completion and occupancy in the 2014-15 school year.  

 

Two-part bond proposal goes before New York school district

Ann Cotton-Degrasse

The Riverhead (New York) School Board will put two bond proposals before voters in October to allow both for repairs and improvements to numerous schools and to build a new gymnasium at Riverhead High School. Some $78 million would be available in the first proposal for repairs and improvements, while an additional $7 million would be in the second proposition for the gym. The two are tied together and the smaller bond issue cannot pass unless the larger one does. The renovations bond issue would pay for new classrooms and cafeteria space, repairs to windows and doors, repairs to parking, sidewalks and plumbing and other improvements. The second proposal would build a new 16,000-square-foot gym. "We've got roofs that are 20 years out of warranty, meaning they're 40 years old," said Board President Ann Cotten-Degrasse. She said these types of projects are something that "absolutely has to be done."

 

New York district gets approval for renovation plans at school

New York State has granted its approval for the Malverne School District to move ahead with its plans to renovate one of its elementary school buildings. The district will now be able to send out a request for proposals for the work that will be performed at the Davison Avenue Intermediate School. Officials also are expecting approval for a similar project at the Downing Primary School. The Davison Avenue school project calls for construction of a new cafeteria, kitchen upgrades and basement renovations. Elevators will be installed and other Americans With Disabilities Act requirements. Exterior doors will be replaced, steps and ramps will be repaired and other safety issues addressed. Classrooms and libraries will get upgrades as well.

 

Residence hall, apartment complex slated for Indiana University

Residence hall

A new student residence hall (pictured) and apartment complex are being designed for Indiana University. The 450-bed residence hall will be a four-story structure of 155,000 square feet. It will include single- and double-occupancy rooms with group bathrooms, single, semi-suite rooms with group bathrooms and single rooms with bathrooms. The four-story apartment building will feature 84,000 square feet. It will include 106 units that include studio apartments, one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom apartments. Both facilities will have limestone exteriors and will fit in with the style of the IU Bloomington campus architecture. Both are also being designed for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council to include energy conservation features, waste recycling and other sustainability features. Both will also have common areas, student lounges, classrooms, computer labs, music practice rooms and other features designed to help build a community atmosphere. The residence hall carries a price tag of $38 million and the apartment building will cost $16 million. 

 

New Jersey could restore $5.5M to budget for technology upgrades

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he is open to consideration of restoring $5.5 million in technology upgrades spending that was cut from the state budget. His decision came after two computer crashes last month that nearly shut down operations of the Motor Vehicle Commission. But his action would be contingent on the state legislature sending him a supplemental appropriations bill.

Sumter County courthouse in Florida to get makeover

The historic, 100-year-old Sumter County (Florida) courthouse is about to undergo a facelift. The county has budgeted more than $4 million for new plumbing and electrical systems, a fire suppression system and will replace the air conditioning and heating systems. The exterior of the building will get attention, too, from new energy-saving windows to fresh mortar and new signage.

Nebraska city approves $18.5 million capital improvement spending

Joe Mangiamelli

A variety of capital improvement expenditures have been approved for the city of Columbus, Nebraska, with more than a third of the budget set aside for buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and equipment. City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli said he expects work to begin on the $2.7 million construction of the Loup Levee next year with recertification in 2013. Other projects include $750,000 for installation of field turf at Pawnee Park Memorial Stadium, a $500,000 track replacement at Memorial Stadium, $70,000 for design work for Pawnee Plunge Water Park expansion, $50,000 for replacement of a bookmobile and more. The five-year capital improvement plan also includes funding for projects at city hall, the Senior Center, a central fire station and Columbus Public Library.

 

Funds secured for W. Virginia National Guard training facilities

More than $12 million in federal funding is headed to West Virginia for the construction of a new Buckhannon Readiness Center and a $2.2 million replacement of the hydrant fuel system at Camp Dawson in Kingwood, W. Virginia. Both facilities are used to help train the state's National Guard. The funding will help pay for the costs of a new 57,000-square-foot training facility known as the Buckhannon Readiness Center. It will be used to provide training, administrative, storage and maintenance space. There will be nearly 140 authorized personnel at the site. The $2.2 million will be used to improve the National Guard's fuel capacity for the helicopters, small aircraft and military trucks and vehicles that support Camp Dawson. The expansion and upgrade will include a new office building, fencing and a new electrical and lighting system for day and night operations. Part of the area will be paved and a new parking lot area will be developed.

  

Michigan county looking for way to cut costs on new jail

Officials in Allegan, Michigan, are looking at a new jail that could cost approximately $16.5 million. The Board of Commissioners says yes, but officials are ready to seek bids to see just how much toll the recent bad weather has taken on the project. Recent projections showed the project could cost as much as $19 million, but officials are seeking not to go over the $16.5 million figure. They have even gone so far as to ask the architect to prepare costs of some portions of the jail that might be bid separately as a means of bringing the costs down. The current proposal would include 202 beds, but building a dormitory to house inmates on work release would raise the price to $16.9 million while providing 248 beds. For a price tag of $18.6 million, the jail could house up to 352.

 

Wolff

Bugher

Mattingly

After 13 years or service, Michael Wolff has announced he is retiring from his position as a member of the Missouri Supreme Court, effective Aug. 11. Mark Bugher, director of University Research Park at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been named special assistant to Interim Chancellor David Ward, advising the chancellor on issues including strategic priorities, political issues and the budget. John Mattingly, commissioner of he Administration for Children's Services in New York City since 2004, has announced his resignation to return working for his foundation work in Baltimore. Lincoln County, New Mexico, County Manager Tom Stewart, a former adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the National Command Authority, has announced his retirement, effective Dec. 23. Catherine V. Emerson, assistant administrator for human resource management at the Federal Aviation Administration, is the new chief human capital officer at the U.S. Homeland Security Department. Dr. Bruce King, a former academic advisor and coordinator for the McCurtain County branch campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the campus' former associate dean, has been named dean of the McCurtain County branch campus. UC Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu has been appointed

Liu

Hogan

Spears

to the California Supreme Court by Gov. Jerry Brown, to replace retired Justice Carlos Moreno. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Mike Hogan, who ran unsuccessfully for Jacksonville, Florida, mayor and is a former Duval County tax collector and former member of the Florida House, as chair of the Public Employees Relations Commission. Nelda Wells Spears, who has served as tax assessor-collector of Travis County (Texas) for 20 years, announced she will retire at the end of the year, the third year of her four-year term. Lon Kaufman, plant biologist and long-time faculty member of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and who has been department head, dean and vice provost there, has been named provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the university, effective Aug. 15. William H. Reynolds, a retired Marine Corps attorney and former deputy county administrator in Washtenaw County, Michigan, will take over as city administrator for the city of Pensacola, Florida, and current city manager Al Coby will remain as assistant city administrator through Sept. 30. Harry Downes, Jr., a retired Delaware State Police major and a member of the state police for 26 years, is Delaware State University's new police chief and director of public safety. Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Eddie Burns, who joined the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1979 and rose to executive deputy fire chief and then

Burns

Dever

Pinkerton

became chief of Dallas Fire-Rescue in 2006, has announced his retirement to pursue business opportunities. Dr. John T. Dever, whose community college educator career began in the English Department of Thomas Nelson Community College in 1975 and is currently the executive vice president of Academic and Student Services at Northern Virginia Community College, will become the next president of Thomas Nelson Community College, effective in October. Steve Pinkerton, current city manager of Manteca, California, has been chosen to be the new city manager for the city of Davis, California. Jeanette Mladenovic, who currently serves as the senior associate dean of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been selected the new provost for Oregon Health and Science University and will join the university this fall. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has announced three appointments: his deputy chief of staff Doug Darling as first executive director of the new state Department of Economic Opportunity; Cynthia Lorenzo to head the Agency for Workforce Innovation, where she has served as interim head since January; and Mike Hansen, a 30-year veteran of health and human services, to head the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. David Ridberg, who joined the Greenwich, Connecticut, police department in 1984, was promoted to sergeant in 1992, lieutenant in 1996 and chief in 2007, has announced his retirement, effective Oct. 31.