AKRON – Tippecanoe Valley School Board on Thursday heard about some possible cost-saving options and alternatives to its building project at the high school.
The options will provide the Board some options on bid day of how the Board wants to proceed with the project, said Michael K. Schipp, principal project leader at Fanning Howey.
One of the areas Schipp had suggestions for was for the field house. He suggested keeping the hardwood flooring. It’s 30 years old and still has 20 years of life left in the floors. He suggested doing things to it, including refinishing it. It would potentially save $135,000.
Another suggestion would be to cut the distance in the field house. One example he gave would be if the distance between the walls and the tracks were reduced. Ideally, if 2 feet were taken off, reducing the space to 3 feet, it would potentially save $64,000.
Superintendent Blaine Conley said he’d like to maintain the integrity “of what we’ve done originally with the space.” He thinks downsizing a space can create problems. He’d like to have what the corporation’s original thoughts were.
Board President Tom Bauters asked if the Board wanted to stick with the original dimensions and the pricing didn’t come out, would it “be a bust?”
Schipp said if there’s no alternate, that means there would be extra time with the engineers to work things out.
Bauters said he was with Conley and wanted to keep the integrity of the space as it was envisioned.
“Ten years from now, they’re going to say, ‘Why didn’t you make it bigger?’” Bauters said.
Schipp said Fanning Howey will keep the foot print as it, but there’s potential savings there if it’s needed.
Other suggestions made were to the weights and fitness room. Schipp suggested instead of putting a solid glass wall fencing off part of the room, they could put a moveable glass wall. That could potentially save $50,0000. Another suggestion was not to put up full-length mirrors in the fitness room. That would be $24,000.
Board member David Lash asked if those items could be put in later.
Schipp said if the school corporation wanted mirrors in the fitness room later on, they could put them in later. If they school corporation wanted to put in a nonmoving wall, it would have to be a mounted one.
Another suggestion Schipp made was to take out pipe grids in the agriculture classrooms, which could potentially save $20,000. Bauters suggested getting input from the agriculture instructor to hear his input before a decision was made.
Schipp said some work in the pool was necessary, including work on the north wall. Conley said the pool is really a high-need area and is toward the end of its life. He said it was his opinion that it is one of the priorities of the project.
Bauters said the pool is a big point for the community as a lot of people come to the pool to learn to swim.
Scott V. Cherry, senior vice president of Fanning Howey, said Fanning Howey will potentially come in front of the Board March 4 to look to advertise for bids and make recommendations on the bids on April 18.
In other business, the Board approved:
• Bauters as Board president, David Lash as vice president and Aaron Zolman as secretary.
• Meeting dates for 2022.
• Bauters as president and Zolman as secretary on the Board of Finance.
