Thursday, March 28, 2024

School District to hire logistics consultant, January start envisioned for contractor

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The first year of construction of Alpine Lakes Elementary and Cascade High School is coming to a close, and by all accounts, things have gone pretty well. But in 2018, the school district will face a stern challenge, basically just moving things and people around. 

Cascade School District Construction Liaison John Henri, at the Dec. 12 Cascade School Board meeting, said Alpine Lakes Elementary is under budget and on schedule. 

“The promise is to open in September, but our desire, and we’ve talked to the contractor is to get a date where we want to move the furniture and equipment in the spring or early summer,” Henri said “We don’t have to wait until their contract is done. We take general occupancy of the school and move it before June.”

Alpine Lakes Elementary is to be completed by July 12, 2018, but Henri said it should be much sooner than that.  

“This summer is going to be a really tough summer because if you consider, other than the middle school, we’re going to moving every other teacher in the school district to a new room. It’s all got to be done during the summer,” Henri said. 

If they get started early, Henri said the effort will be to get all the furniture and equipment put in and get that done while they are going through punch lists with the contractor. That would put the school district ahead of the game, and easier to coordinate between the other schools. 

When school is closed in June, Henri said they have to be out of Peshastin-Dryden in a week or two because they have to start demoing that school. The summer is going to be interesting, he said. 

Plans are also moving ahead for the big move at the high school. 

“In September, we will have students occupying the academic wing. The administration will be moving into the administration building. The band room will be done. The commons area will be done. The kitchen will be done. The cafeteria will be done. The hallway moving up to the art room will be done up to that point,” Henri said of the high school. 

Everybody will be moved out of the areas of the existing high school, then that part of the building will be torn down next summer. At the beginning of summer, after the building is torn down, Henri said they will complete the athletic wing, referee’s room, visiting team locker room, hallways, concession stand, etc. 

“If we can get the academic wing finished in the spring, then we will start moving furniture in. Once we hit June 15, we don’t have enough time between June 15 and Sept. 1 to tear the building down then move furniture in, move the equipment in, move the teachers in and be ready for school. That will be a real coordination,” Henri said. 

To help plan for the upcoming move, the school district is in the process of hiring a Logistics Coordinator. Finance Director Dwight Remick said, at Henri’s urging, they are in the process of hiring an individual or firm as a independent contractor

“You could tell, John (Henri) has some concerns about everything going on in a short period this summer. When we look at the fact we are trying to reuse as much of our original technology from the tech levy from four years ago,” Remick said. “All these things we’re going to be moving from one building to another. You look at the logistics of that. The logistics of ordering new furniture. The actual moving of classrooms. It’s going to be quite an undertaking.”

The individual they are looking to hire, Remick said, would come on board in January and start with the planning process. He anticipates in January this individual working 10-to-20 hours a week. By the time the school district hits spring break, Remick said this individual could be up to 40 hours per week through Aug. 1. 

“They would be an independent contractor, not an employee. They would set a schedule according to what our needs are. A lot of things for them to take care of. Teresa (Disher, Facilities manager) is not going to have time to do it. I’m not going to have time to do it,” Remick said. “That’s why we’re doing this. We’ll also be looking for a moving company that would be separate. In order to pull this off and make sure everything is running smoothly, when you look at that short period of time we have to work with, it’s very important and money well spent.”

The money will come from the overall bond project, with money earmarked for moving and logistics, Remick said. There will be no burden on the general fund. Board member Kristen Wood asked how much it will cost. 

“Depending on the individual’s experience, obviously they’re going to have to pay for all their own taxes, healthcare. I’m anticipating anywhere from $50 to $70 per hour,” Remick said. 

Wood asked how you go about finding this type of person. 

“We’ve already put an ad in the Echo and the Wenatchee World. It’s open until filled, but we did a first screening last Wednesday. We had two applicants, both local,” Remick said. 

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.

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