High school vote put on hold

Washington school officials say plans for referendum postponed until January.

By: Mark Moffa
   WASHINGTON — School officials Monday announced a planned ballot question for a proposed high school and an addition to the Pond Road Middle School will be postponed until January as the district tries to figure out how to trim the cost of the proposal.
   School board President Michele Siekerka said a legal issue pending in the state Department of Education’s Office of Controversies and Disputes was a factor in the board’s decision to delay its application for one month.
   "There’s a little bit of controversy right now," Ms. Siekerka said. "Lawrence would like us to sever our relationship regardless of our referendum passing."
   The problem is, of course, Washington wants to end its relationship only if its referendum passes.
   "The Department of Education will not issue the OK on our building project until the issue of our severance with Lawrence is determined," Ms. Siekerka said. The matter has been referred to an administrative law judge, she added.
   The proposed high school would be adjacent to the middle school site, behind Ostrich Nursery, fronting on Robbinsville-Edinburg Road.
   Currently, Washington’s high school students attend Lawrence High School under a sending-receiving relationship that will expire in 2005.
   Enrollment projections show 2,002 students at Lawrence High School by 2011. The facility can hold 1,326 students. Of those 2,002 students, 922 are expected from Washington.
   In a school board meeting Monday night before about 60 people, Superintendent Paul Harren said the district was trying to use updated enrollment projections to convince the state to increase its projected aid.
   Business Administrator Chris Mullins said at the meeting that initial state aid estimates show the district receiving a total of almost $8.1 million from the state through its multi-billion dollar school construction aid program. That would be only about 12 percent of the project’s total estimated cost of $66.5 million.
   The high school is estimated to cost $51.8 million. The board also is considering a $10.5 million addition to the middle school and a $4.2 million swimming pool for the high school.
   Officials have said they are working to reduce the cost of the high school, however.
   Mr. Mullins last week said the projected cost may be reduced to $44.4 million, but officials this week shied away from any new estimates.
   Ms. Siekerka this week said only that the district’s professionals — architect Scott Spiezle, educational specification consultant Judy Ferguson, consultants from the public relations firm ie communications, and representatives from construction management firm Bovis Land Lease — will meet to determine how the cost could be reduced without "adversely affecting excellence in education."
   Mr. Mullins last week said the board had asked its architect, Mr. Spiezle, to shrink the building by 30,000 square feet. The educational specifications also were to be revised, he said, adding that some facilities would be deleted and others would be reduced in size.
   Officials said the revised plans would be unveiled to the public at a meeting Monday, Oct. 1. At that time, Lawrence Superintendent Max Riley is expected to make a presentation to the public on his district’s plans for its future.