Meetings

UPCOMING MEETINGS

April 21, 2008, 12pm - Tour of Unionville High School - Meet in the UHS LGI Room

PAST MEETINGS

April 16, 2008, 5pm - Community Meeting regarding the UHS Project and Referendum - UHS LGI Room

April 2, 2008, 7pm - Community Meeting regarding the UHS Project and Referendum - UHS Auditorium

April 2, 2008, 6pm - Tour of Unionville High School - Meet in the UHS LGI Room

March 31, 2008, 11am and 1pm - Tours of Unionville High School - Meet in the UHS LGI Room

Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 7pm, Patton Middle School Auditorium: Town Hall Meeting regarding the proect and referendum. Please plan on joining us for more detail and an opportunity to hear both administration and the school board review this important project and take input from the community.

February 25, 2008 School Board Work Meeting : The school board discussed and voted to put a 30 million dollar

referendum before voters on April 22, 2008.

February 11, 2008 School Board Work Session: The school board vigorously discussed plans for the project’s future. Many options were discussed, but at work sessions, no formal voting takes place unless it is planned in advance. The next opportunity for members to vote on a plan would be at the February 25, 2008 board meeting.

Among the possibilities explored was a complete funding of the high school project in addition to an unspecified middle school project without a referendum and within the Act 1 budgetary limits. One board member felt that although the funding would be tight, a plan could be funded without another referendum.

Another option discussed was funding the project partially through another referendum. After much debate, members felt this option was worthy of more discussion and will take up the question at the February 25, 2008 board meeting. The time needed to prepare for a referendum was discussed if the board decided to put another question to the community. The next scheduled opportunity for a referendum is April 22, 2008. The board put out a tentative amount of 30 million dollars for the question and directed district administration to begin the process of putting a question on the ballot without formal committment ocurring until the February board meeting.

Board members were concerned as to why taxpayers voted down the last referendum – because of the potential tax increase or a disagreement with the scope of the project itself. It is hoped that the community will familiarize themselves with the facts of the referendum and project so they can make the best educated decision if a question is put on the ballot.

February 4, 2008 Facilities Committee Meeting: The board contuned to explore options for construction. Many options were discussed with board members giving their feelings on each. Much discussion involved the decision whether to take a question back to the public with a new referendum or attempt to fund the high school and future projects under the Act 1 cap. Information on Act 1 can be found here - www.ucfsd.org/act1.

January 24, 2008 Facilities Committee Meeting: Asked by the school board, MM Architects presented the differences between the 2005 KCBA facilities study and the current UHS project. As admitted by KCBA at the time, their study did not delve deeply into the details of construction, but dealt with an "order of magnitude" - a rough estimate of what might be required to do a project. Many areas were not addressed at all in their study because of the limited scope. WIth that taken and the escalation of costs that have occured over the intervening years, MM Architects reported that the current project is right in line with others that are being undertaken in the area.

December 10, 2007 School Board Meeting: The school board received a presentation from district administration regarding the interim facilities plan which outlines needs that must be addressed within a short period of time. (Board meeting minutes)

November 6, 2007 Election Day: The community, by a 60-40 margin defeats the referendum authorizing the district to borrow up to 62.5 million dollars for the Unionville High School renovation project and its campus.