Published Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998
The HHS project
The $22.4 million renovation of Hickory High School in Hermitage calls for:
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He made his promise during a two-hour public at hearing at Artman Elementary School. Residents had the chance to ask questions and add their thoughts on the project that is expected to cause "two years of inconvenience" for scheduling and classes for 755 students. Construction, which is expected to begin in late spring, will expand the building by more than 20 percent.
Most residents wanted to know about upkeep and maintenance of the 39-year-old school. Others wanted to hear how the estimated cost would affect their taxes as well as projected enrollment.
One man asked why -- in addition to the $1.3 spent on the Hickory Stadium -- more money is being spent on renovations that will address sports, including the gymnasium and locker rooms.
Another parent questioned why so much money is earmarked for renovation when her child has been coming home from school saying there are not enough books to go around.
Martuccio said the sports facilities are a small part of the project. He explained the need saying one locker room has only three shower heads working and the gym floor will have to be replaced within 10 years.
Superintendent Dr. Louis C. Mastrian added to Martuccio's explanation with a request to the crowd that the cost of the stadium stop being thrown in the district's face. "I would like to put the stadium issue to bed," he demanded. "After all, if you ever sat in those seats you were lucky to get out of there alive. It was an accident waiting to happen."
Mastrian said the district "got exactly what it paid for," when it spent $900,000 for the track and bleachers. The remaining $400,000 was needed, he said, for the lights and to relocate the rest rooms, which had to be torn out for the construction.
Noting that one school director put a key through one of the stairs at the old stadium and watched it crumble, Mastrian insisted the money spent was needed to avoid someone being hurt.
Turning from the finished stadium project to the planned high school renovation, the board said HHSDR Architects/Engineers of Sharon assume a maximum cost of $22.4 million that includes a maximum new construction cost of $7.5 million.
The board has a contingency fund worked out that is roughly $800,000. Indirect costs -- including the hiring of a part-time custodian for $15,000 and $3,000 set aside for overtime work for classified staff to move furniture, books and other classroom material for the renovation -- will be absorbed in the general operating budget.
However, if the renovation exceeds 8 percent of the estimated $22.4 million cost, architect Charles E. Rogers, president of HHSDR, said the scope of the project must be reduced or school directors will have to go back to the drawing board. To finance the work, school directors have already approved two bond issues for $8 million and $5 million. Roughly 13.5 cents for every dollar spent will be reimbursed by the state.
Directors have estimated the project may increase taxes by 18.3 mills. Six mills were worked into the budget in the last two years. An additional 3 mills a year are expected to be added during the next three years. Directors are not sure if they will have to work in the remaining 3.3 mills.
One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value, assessments are one-third of a property's 1970 market value. The additional 18.3 mills, would raise the taxes on a home assessed at $10,000 by $183.
