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Sisters, Oregon
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Costs may force cuts in new high school
By Jim Cornelius

The Sisters School Board will have to make deep cuts in the planned high school/middle school project to meet its target cost of $21.45 million.

That "target" figure, set by the school board on October 13, includes a 5 percent contingency and middle school conversion costs.

A cost analysis by The Nugget determined that the total project cost -- including remodeling costs for the new middle school and options such as new playing fields and athletic facilities -- now stands at $24,185,403 (see page 22 for detailed cost breakdown).

If these "options" are eliminated, but the current design is followed, the cost drops to $23,402,403 -- still about $2 million over the target.

The board may also be forced to scale back the project design -- eliminating plazas from a classroom wing, getting rid of a second gym or locker rooms, reducing the size of the auditorium to 500 seats or other deductions.

If all "options" are eliminated and all identified "deductions" are made, the cost falls to $21,254,403 -- within the board's target.

The school board will wrestle with the cost figures and potential cuts at a special meeting on Friday, November 2 at noon at Sisters High School.

If the board elects to use all of the $1.9 million in interest money available from the $20.5 million bond, the district will have $22.4 million available for the project, which could allow a few options or deductions to be added back in.

But such a decision could be controversial. The board has argued at length over whether to use the interest for the building or use it to pay down the bonded indebtedness -- essentially rebating it to voters.

Steve Keeton and Heather Wester have advocated returning the interest to taxpayers, holding the total project cost to the $20.5 million of the bond approved by voters. Bill Reed and Glen Lasken have argued for holding on to the interest money.

Jeff Smith tried to create a compromise by setting a $20 million figure for the high school and committing $1 million in interest for use as a contingency fund. Another $450,000 has been budgeted from the beginning of the project for conversion of the current high school into a middle school.

There is also some question as to the actual number of students the current design was created for.

According to school board minutes the board decided to save costs by reducing the design number from 800 students to 700 students. However, architect Scott Steele said he was instructed early in the design process to use 750 as the number of students.

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