The Harford County Board of Education plans a June 9th business meeting to include approval of its amended capital and operating budgets for the fiscal year 2015. Also on the agenda are recognitions for top student athletes and award winning teacher Robert Reinhardt, plus contract approvals for Youth’s Benefit Elementary School and Havre de Grace Middle/High School.
First on the agenda, the Board will recognize Southampton Middle School social studies teacher Robert Reinhardt, Maryland winner of the 2014 Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Award. Reinhardt was selected by a team of judges evaluating experience, creativity and imagination in the classroom, and the effective use of primary sources. He will represent the state in the competition for National History Teacher of the Year.
Next, the Board will recognize state champion athletes and sportsmanship award winners for spring 2014. And the winners are: In boys lacrosse, the Fallston High School team won the Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association (MPSSAA) 2A/1A title; in girls track, Paige Chapman of Harford Technical High School won the 100 yard event for the Class 2A MPSSAA tournament; and in boys track, Jhamail Johnson of Joppatowne High School won the shot put and discus event for the Class 1A MPSSAA.
Sportsmanship award winners are as follows: For the Chesapeake Division, the North Harford High School softball team and tennis team, the C. Milton Wright High School baseball team, the Bel Air High School boys lacrosse team, and the Havre de Grace girls lacrosse team; for the Susquehanna Division, the Edgewood High School softball team, and boys track and field team, the Joppatowne High School baseball team, the Harford Technical High School tennis team, the Aberdeen High School boys lacrosse team, and the Havre de Grace High School girls track and field team.
On the consent agenda, the Board plans to approve two contract awards related to the replacement facility for Youth’s Benefit Elementary School in Fallston, which is estimated to cost a total of $44.8 million. First, is a negotiated $722,071 contract award to Gilbert Architects, Inc. for professional architectural/engineering services required to obtain construction pricing. For construction management of the project, Dustin Construction, Inc. is recommended for a negotiated $3,618,030 contract award following a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued by the HCPS Facilities Department. The contract total represents a management fee of $3,153,620 and estimated reimbursables of $464,410 for the 44-month construction project. According to the published agenda, a total of seven firms submitted responses to the RFQ, and were evaluated by a committee considering team qualifications, experience, workload, and references. Finalists were then interviewed and ranked. Dustin Construction previously completed the Joppatowne Elementary School modernization project.
Last on the consent agenda, the HCPS Office of Technology is requesting a $393,429.22 contract award to Dell Marketing, L.P. for the purchase of approximately 383 Dell Optiplex desktops, 164 Dell Latitude laptops, 3 mobile carts, and 3 tablets to upgrade the technology and equipment in classrooms and offices at Aberdeen High School. Immediate replacement of existing equipment is necessary, according to the published agenda, “due to recent vulnerabilities and security exploits and that Windows XP is no longer supported with updates from Microsoft.” Funds are to be used from the current, fiscal year 2014, budget. The cost basis for the products was established via a contract between the University System of Maryland MEEC (Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium) and Dell Marketing.
Under action items, Cornell Brown, assistant superintendent for operations, will present a proposed $3,186,890 contract award to Grimm & Parker Architects for architectural/engineering design services necessary to proceed with the Havre de Grace Middle/High School replacement facility. The project received local planning approval from the state in May; however, design work is required before the Board can request state funding in fiscal year 2016. Grimm & Parker Architects was selected through an RFQ process, with a total of 22 firms submitting responses; five firms were shortlisted, interviewed and ranked, according to the published agenda. Grimm & Parker is also the architect of record for the Bel Air and Edgewood high school replacement projects.
Next under action items, Ed Fields, assistant superintendent for business services, will present proposed budget transfers to fund Other Post Employment Benefit (OPEB) obligations, and provide a health care premium holiday for employees. Excess reserves in the Healthcare Consortium, unspent funds in the Medical Flex, and Dependent Care accounts, plus federal Medicare Part D reimbursements, together totaling $3,261,212, are recommended for transfer to OPEB, according to the published agenda. Excess reserves from the Healthcare Consortium in the amount of $915,889 will be used to fund a healthcare premium holiday for all employees and retirees in June 2014.
Last, under action items, the Board plans approval of amended capital and operating budgets for the fiscal year 2015, reflecting funding levels approved for next year by state and county government. No additional documentation was published for these agenda items as of press time. However, please see a related story here.
Last on the agenda is a report from Superintendent Canavan.
The June 9th meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the A.A. Roberty Building in Bel Air, with a public comment period set for 6:55 p.m. The published agenda appears below. Please note that published agendas are subject to change.
Agenda
Monday, June 9, 2014
Board Open Session – 5:40 PM – Board Room
Board Closed Session – 5:45 pm – Board Executive Conference Room
Board Business Meeting – 6:30 PM – Board Room
*Times are approximate6:30 PM
Call to Order – Board President
Quorum Roll Call
Adoption of Agenda
Pledge of Allegiance6:35 PM Recognitions:
– Gilder Lehrman American History Teacher of The Year 2014
– 2014 MPSSAA Interscholastic State/Regional Champions and 2014 Spring Sportsmanship Awards
6:55 PM Public Comment
Old Business
Action Item(s):
7:10 PM A. Consent Agenda:1) Affirmation of Monthly Contract Awards (Goal 4)
2) Minutes of Previous Board Meeting: May 27 2014 (Goals 1 – 4)
3) Award of Contract: Architectural/Engineering Services for Youth’s Benefit Elementary Replacement School (Goal 4)
4) Award of Contract: Construction Management Services for Youth’s Benefit Elementary Replacement School (Goal 4)
5) Award of Contract: Computer Refresh for Aberdeen High School (Goal 1)
New Business
Action Item(s):7:15 PM B. Award of Contract for Architectural/Engineering Services for Havre de Grace Middle/High Replacement School, Mr. Cornell Brown (Goal 4)
7:35 PM C. Approval of Amended OPEB Transfer and Premium Holiday, Mr. Ed Fields (Goal 2)
7:50 PM D. Approval of the Amended Capital, Restricted and Food Services Budgets, (Goal 2)
8:05 PM E. Approval of the Board of Education’s FY15 Unrestricted Operating Budget (Goal 2)
Presentation(s):
9:00 PM F. Superintendent’s Report
Closing
9:10 PM Future Meetings Review
Adjournment
Harford County Board of Education has proposed to build new combined Havre de Grace High/Middle School. The justification being that it is not safe for the children to cross Juniata Street to reach the athletic fields on the west side. The proposed school site is behind the current Havre de Grace Middle School west of the Harris Stadium site where the current athletic fields are located. Once the new school is built they will need to replace the lost fields, so the plan is to tear down Havre de Grace High School and the Auditorium/Gym buildings and build the fields where the buildings are located. It is safer to cross west to east, but not east to west. Go figure. Other issues sited include mold and leaking roofs. Who is charge on maintenance.
The proposed new school site sits between the current middle school, the Northeast Corridor high speed rail line and a flood plain. Add to this the plan to demolish the High School and the Auditorium/Gym buildings and the current middle school building. Who does this? How many taxpayers tear down their old usable house and build a new one on the same site?
I sent a suggestion to the Harford County Board of Education after I found out about the SCOPE Study they had done that didn’t include the school board property located on Chapel Road. Unfortunately they never responded. My concern with the new proposed school and the location are as follows. Harford County Schools purchased 54 acres of land on Chapel Road just outside the city limits of Havre de Grace, but closer to the center of the convoluted school district. The current proposed site is about 30 acres.
I suggested that the Board consider building the new combined Havre de Grace High/Middle School on the Chapel Road Property. Currently most of the students that attend Havre de Grace High are bussed or they drive their own cars. Every parent will tell you it’s much safer to bus their students than allow them to walk. Building the new school on this site will free up the two current High School buildings and the building could be turned over to Harford County Park and Recreation and the Harford County Government to bring programs that have been taken out of Havre de Grace back to the city. The school building could be re-purposed as a new library and classroom for distant learning programs. The old Middle School building could be remodeled and additional classrooms and swimming pool added. This building could then be used as a new Havre de Grace elementary school, allowing the closure and combination of both elementary schools. This plan would do away with four separate elementary school buildings and consolidate the physical plants into one.
HCPS is struggling to make ends meet and you want to build a swimming pool?
Here’s a better suggestion — Close Havre de Grace High School. There are more than enough seats in the surrounding schools to absorb those students. It would certainly save operating costs not to mention freeing up cash that is being spent planning a new unnecessary building. After all, the current building is too small and old and the campus is dangerous.
If the school board really wants to get David Craig’s attention, that would do it! Too bad none of them have the spines to make any real decisions — they would rather spend their time up on the dias grandstanding.
If money is tight, why not leave the buildings and just build a bridge or tunnel to allow safe crossing of Juniata Street?
The funding is approved to start the process on the new David Craig Memorial High School. How they approved a new larger school when the old one has projected enrollment decline is beyond me. I do like the new school motto. “Enter to Learn, leave to be a leach on the public and hire all your friend and family.