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Walden's Required Repairs (according to RUSD) - $7,146,506 |
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The Racine Unified School District has a report of Building Capital Projects needed over the next five years. They are using this report to show us what needs to be done to keep Walden open. While some of the costs adding up over seven million are needed, some may not be, which is what is being discussed here. You can see the entire Capital Projects PDF file here (16 pages long). Let's begin with duplicate charges.
| Year | Scope of Repairs |
RUSD
Estimate
|
| 1998 | Entire Roof Replacement |
$250,000
|
| 2003 | Replace Roof Areas 2,3,4,5,6,7 |
$204,300
|
| 2003 | Roof Maintenance Areas 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
$53,486
|
|
$507,786 |
| 1998 | Lower Level Floor Replacemen |
$117,600
|
|
2002 |
Replace Entire Flooring of Facility |
$120,000 |
In 1998, our lower level floor (with asbestos under it) was to be replaced. The money was to come from 1999's referendum of $15,685,706. (See here and here to see exactly how they spent the money.) From the $15.7 million dollar referendum "focused on building physical needs", Walden got nothing. The money for our cracking floor was passed off to another school. In 2002 a charge for replacing all the flooring was added. While we can do one or the other, both are not needed. If the first charge is taken off as a duplicate, $117,600 is removed from RUSD's estimate. Once again, this flooring was supposed to be replaced in 1998.
| 2002 | Inspect Exterior and Repair Foundation Walls |
$400,000
|
| 2002 | Foundation Repairs Complete Building |
$400,000
|
In 2002, two charges were added to the report for foundation
repairs. Walden's foundation is said to be solid, and there is no warping
or buckling of flooring in the building. Although these repairs may at an
inflated cost, they will be considered a duplicate charge and not an unnecessary
one, for safety's sake. Therefore, $400,000 is removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 1998 | Boiler Room Asbestos Abatement |
$33,600
|
| 2002 | Asbestos Abatement |
$200,000
|
Our school does have asbestos in it, and it needs to be
removed. Every time a tile breaks in the basement there is danger of asbestos
being released into the air. In 1998, a charge was added to clear the boiler
room. In 2002, a charge was added to clear the entire school. So, the original
1998 charge is a duplicate and $33,600 can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
Next, charges on the report that may not be needed. Some of these charges may eventually be beneficial, but have no factor in keeping the building open and structurally safe.
| 2002 | Paint Entire Facility |
$ 350,000
|
In 2002 a charge for painting the facility was added. This includes both the interior and the exterior such as windowsills. Anyone that has walked through Walden has seen the artwork and murals on the walls. Painting over these murals is unnecessary and would destroy years of hard work put into the school. $350,000 can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Relight Entire Building |
$ 250,000
|
In 2002 a charge for relighting
the facility was added. This consists of lowering the lighting a few feet
from the ceiling or lowering the ceiling itself. This has already been done
in the West Wing of the building, and on the lower and ground levels of the
main building, but not the upper level. The lighting in our building is fine,
and does not need to be lowered in the first place. The $250,000 charge can
be removed from RUSDís estimate.
| 2002 | Asphalt Parking Lot Replacement |
$162,200
|
| 2002 | Re-grade Site |
$250,000
|
|
$412,200
|
| 2002 | Upgrade Existing Janitorial Closets |
$15,000
|
| 2002 | Replace Intercommunication System |
$50,000
|
| 2002 | Sound Absorption of Ceiling |
$50,000
|
| 2002 | Renovate Main Office |
$75,000
|
|
$190,000
|
Each of these charges added in 2002 are unnecessary for
keeping our building safe.Ý $190,000
can be removed from RUSD's Estimate.
| 2002 | Install Elevator/Upgrade Washrooms to ADA Requirements |
$750,000
|
The Walden building is what some may consider old: The West
Wing was built while Abe Lincoln was president. The building is over 140 years
old ‚ built before the ADA regulations were passed. According an ADA Technical
Consultant, Walden is "grandfathered in" with its existing construction.
This means as long as there is no new construction, nothing new needs to be
installed. Furthermore, Walden is made up of two buildings connected at the
breezeway. One elevator would not provide access to the entire building. The
$750,000 charge can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Renovate HVAC System Entire Building |
$ 1,000,000
|
HVAC consists of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
The building has more than adequate heating, and Walden has survived without
Air Conditioning so far. The only part that may require work is the ventilation
of the building.Ý RUSD estimate one
million for renovations, Walden estimates only $250,000. $750,000 can be removed
from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Upgrade Plumbing System to Meet Code |
$200,000
|
| 2002 | Replace Ext Doors, Windows, Insulation of Attic & Ext Walls As Needed |
$750,000
|
| 1998 | Tuckpoint Building, Chimney Relining, Replace Ext Doors |
$736,000
|
Unified tuckpointed their buildings for district-wide maintenance.
Once again, however, Walden was skipped. The only part of this charge being
affected, however, is the duplication of replacing exterior doors. Estimating
$100,000 for doors, (included in the previous charge, above) this amount can
be removed from the RUSD estimate. If Unified would have maintained Walden,
this charge would not be here at all.
| 1998 | Ground Fault Installation |
$40,320
|
| 2002 | Upgrade Entire Electrical System Including Electrical Service |
$270,000
|
In 1998 a charge to install Ground Fault outlets throughout the school was added. These are mostly needed near water. While these may be needed, they are only about $30 each and some may wonder how RUSD gets a figure of over $40,000. In 2002 a charge to upgrade the electrical service was added. After adding the new computer lab in the West Wing, Walden is now at its electrical limits, circuit-wise. All of the circuit breakers are full, so more electricity cannot be run through the school. While adding larger circuit breakers that can handle more power is important for the future, the building does not need to be rewired. Therefore, Walden estimates only $50,000 for electrical upgrades. $220,000 can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Replace Boilers |
$150,000
|
In 2002 a charge was added to replace the boilers. Walden's
boilers are old (like everything else), yet work sufficiently and are easily
able to heat a building that is pouring heat out every leaking window and
door in the West Wing. They do not need to be replaced.Ý This charge can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Rebuild Boiler Room Exterior Wall |
$150,000
|
The boiler room wall has been allowed to begin to crumble,
despite Walden's work order requests. The large black tar "band-aid"
(a quick fix to keep water out) placed over it now has done no good. Once
again, if Unified had maintained Walden, this charge would not be required.
Walden estimates $50,000, so $100,000 can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
| 2002 | Upgrade Fire Safety Equipment in Entire Facility |
$20,000
|
| 2002 | Replace Fire Alarm System |
$75,000
|
Our fire safety system should be upgraded, so this charge
is useful. However, the estimate may be higher than needed.
| 2003 | Replace Washroom Stalls |
$24,000
|
This charge was added in 2003, replacing aging washroom
stalls. This is not required for the safety of our school, so this charge
can be removed from RUSD's estimate.
|
$7,146,506
|
original
charge |
|
507,786
|
roof charges (3 items) |
|
117,600
|
floor charge |
|
400,000
|
foundation charge |
|
33,600
|
asbestos charge |
|
350,000
|
paint charge |
|
250,000
|
lighting charge |
|
412,200
|
parking lot charges (2 items) |
|
190,000
|
misc charges (4 items) |
|
750,000
|
elevator charge |
|
750,000
|
HVAC charge |
|
100,000
|
plumbing charge |
|
550,000
|
doors/windows charge |
|
100,000
|
doors duplicate charge |
|
220,000
|
electrical charge |
|
150,000
|
boiler charge |
|
100,000
|
boiler wall charge |
|
24,000
|
washroom charge |
|
$2,141,320
|
revised charge |
So, the original estimate is $7,146,506 and the revised estimate is $2,141,320, for savings of $5,005,186. And even that figure is high. What Walden really needs is:
-New doors and windows
-Asbestos abatement
-Replace fire alarm system
$7 million, the building could be completely state of the art.
We don't need it. That's the point of this page.
Hope this helped.
Steven Baran, a student from Walden III