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The school year may have come to an end but a district leader’s job is never done. The San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board of Education has already scheduled its next meeting for Friday morning, where the board will discuss allocating funds for the completion of the Stone Valley Middle School modernization project, among other issues.
District officials will discuss approving an approximately $1.5 million contract toward the completion of the Stone Valley project in Alamo, which was originally estimated to be completed in time for the 2017-18 school year, but a variety of delays have resulted in the project being pushed out — now, district contractors are working to finish it up in time to open for the start of next school year.
“The Stone Valley Middle School project continues to meet the timeline to open the new building next school year, with students occupying the building on the first day of school. Work has progressed at such an accelerated rate that we have exhausted our current contracts. This item allows for the work to continue uninterrupted,” SRVUSD spokesperson Elizabeth Graswich said.
If approved by the board, the $1.5 million contract will go toward time and materials needed to finish the project and will be funded from Measure D bond funds — a voter-approved bond authorization passed in 2012 to fund large-scale school facility projects.
The $1.5 million was included in the project’s original budget — approved by the Board of Education in 2016 — but now the district is looking to sign a contract directly with McGrath Electric for the pending work.
The multitude of delays eventually resulted in the district cutting ties with the project’s general contractor at the time, Richmond based Vila Construction Co., in December. At the time of the separation, district officials released a statement citing their reasons for cutting ties revolve around “ongoing concerns with meeting the (projects) schedule, a reduction of personnel dedicated to the project and quality control.”
Construction has now stretched on for more than three years, during which time students have been housed in temporary buildings on the southwest side of the nearly 10-acre school site, 22 portables have been used as classrooms and two have been functioning as the short-term library.
When it is completed, the new structures will replace decades-old single-story classrooms with a new two-story building. New features to the campus will also include a multipurpose building, a 39,300-square-foot outdoor quad, upgrade the schools sewer and drainage systems, as well as upgrades to seven outdoor basketball courts.
“We plan to move teacher belongings into the spaces over the summer and they can unpack and set up the classroom spaces when they return in August,” Graswich added.
The SRVUSD Board of Education will meet at 9 a.m. on Friday, at the district offices, 699 Old Orchard Drive, Danville.
In other business
* The board will also hear a special informational presentation from district staff on the status of the district’s current general obligation bond and parcel tax, as well as reviewing future options for the tax.
“The district’s presentation will include an opportunity for the board to discuss future general obligation bond and parcel tax planning,” Graswich said. “Staff expects to gather additional information over the summer and report back to the board this fall.”
A purely informational presentation, Graswich added that the board will not take any official actions on the subject during the meeting.
* Prior to the start of the board’s public discussions, district officials will meet behind closed doors to discuss several issues ranging from potential litigation to labor negotiations.
To start, the district will discuss anticipated litigation concerning the “incompletion of a construction contract,” and then a conference with labor negotiators, assistant superintendent of human resources Keith Rogenski and chief business officer Greg Medici.
Residents are welcome to attend the beginning of a special meeting and participate in the public comment session, however after public comment has closed the board will adjourn to discuss these various issues during a closed session not open to the public.
The special meeting will also be held in the district offices, but will meet in the Superintendent’s Conference Room, as opposed to the regular board meeting room. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.
The $1.5 million was included in the project’s original budget — approved by the Board of Education in 2016 — but now the district is looking to sign a contract directly with McGrath Electric for the pending work.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the $1.5 million was an increase to the project’s budget. The funds were included in the original project budget; the board is considering a change in contract status for that work Friday morning. DanvilleSanRamon.com regrets the error.
Wonder if this is the same SRVUSD management that gave themselves a raise last month? haha – “We need more money to fix my mess up that’s been over 3 years of mismanagement, and by the way I need a raise!”
SRVUSD does not believe in accountability just point the finger somewhere else and ask the tax payer for more money. This is a huge screw up and yet they act like they had no part in the problem and deserve raises and more money. Rick Schmitt is the man responsible for the district but continues to get raises and pats on the back by a board that refuses to hold him accountable for his vast array of screw ups. Let just throw another 1.3 million on the fire along with 1 million we just handed the administration for raises and additional administration positions. Do not forget the 2.2 million for insurance because this district is a lawsuit bonanza with a complete disregard for the safety of our children.
Carl Rick Schmitt is this board’s guy-they hired him and don’t want to admit they made a bad hire. I have met with a board member to discuss concerns and been to a couple of school board meetings. And now he wants another bond! We need to vote in a new board if we want something different.