Title
Consideration and Possible Approval to Partner with the Los Alamos Public Schools to Expand Recreation Spaces in the White Rock Elementary Schools Replacement Project
Recommended Action
[County Council]
I move that Council support partnering with the Los Alamos Public Schools to expand recreation spaces and other spaces available to the community in the White Rock Elementary Schools for an amount not to exceed __________(up to $6.5 million) for construction.
I further move that Council direct the County Manager to develop the necessary agreements between Los Alamos Public Schools and Los Alamos County regarding funding and use of the space.
I further move that Council consider supporting expanded spaces to be located at _________ Elementary School with not to exceed gross square footage of ________.
OR
I further move that Council consider supporting expanded spaces to be located at _________ and ________ Elementary Schools with not to exceed gross square footage of ________ and ________, respectively.
[LAPS Board]
I move that the School Board accept County participation to expand recreation spaces and other spaces at ________________ Elementary School(s) in the amount not to exceed ___________________ for construction.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approve the motion to partner with the Los Alamos Public Schools to expand recreational spaces in the White Rock Elementary School or Schools with a funding not to exceed $6.5 million.
Body
On November 5, 2019, voters approved a Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) bond for $20 million to demolish and replace the two elementary schools, Piñon and Chamisa, in White Rock that were constructed in 1964 and 1968, respectively. LAPS completed the project planning with the development of the Education Specifications for both elementary schools in September 2021 and initiated design in January 2022. The State funding agent for the Elementary Schools Replacement Project, the Public Schools Facility Authority (PSFA), has established the project schedule, which does not allow for delays. Construction of Piñon Elementary is scheduled for May 2023. Construction of Chamisa Elementary will commence one year later in May 2024.
Similar to the North Mesa Gym project, this project was envisioned as shared use facility for community and school use. On December 15, 2020, County Council adopted the 2021 State Legislative Agenda and approved a modification to the FY2022-2026 State Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) that included discussion and inclusion of a project in the modified ICIP with the project title, “Infrastructure Facilities White Rock Community Recreation Space Development (LAC/Schools)", making the project eligible to receive a State Legislative Capital Outlay grant.
Subsequently, the County received a $600,000 State Legislative Capital Outlay grant for a community recreation space in White Rock with the authorizing language reading “to plan, design and construct infrastructure and facilities for a community recreation space in White Rock in Los Alamos County.” The County received the fully executed grant agreement in December 2021 that expires on June 30, 2025.
On February 28, 2022, a Joint Session was held between the LAPS School Board and the County Council that included a discussion of a Shared-Use Gymnasium project in White Rock. In that meeting, Council directed the County Manager to evaluate sites located at Piñon and Chamisa Elementary Schools in coordination with the Los Alamos Public Schools.
Following the Joint Session, staff meet with LAPS representatives on March 6, 2022, and attended the LAPS Concept Design review meetings for Chamisa Elementary School on March 24, 2022, and Piñon Elementary School on April 6, 2022. LAPS staff informed County staff at the April 6th meeting and again on April 21st that the design and construction schedule set by PSFA is aggressive, and the opportunity to join the design for expanded recreation spaces to better accommodate community uses at either or both the Piñon Elementary School and Chamisa Elementary School was fast approaching and needed by the end of June 2022.
During the County Budget Hearings, staff informed Council of LAPS’s rapid schedule for the design and construction of the replacement of the two elementary schools with construction to begin in 2024. In the budget proposal for Capital Improvement Projects for Recreation Projects, construction funds for the White Rock project were held as a placeholder for fiscal year 2024 (FY2024), and for FY2023 for the North Mesa Shared-Use Gymnasium. In response to understanding the LAPS schedule, staff proposed switching the titles of the two projects. On April 25, 2022, Council voted to approve the proposal and budget, approving a $6.5 million construction budget titled “Community Rec Space Construction WR.”
The County contracted with Dekker Perish Sabatini (DPS) on May 9, 2022, to evaluate sites located at Piñon and Chamisa Elementary Schools for expanded recreation spaces at these schools in coordination with LAPS. The DPS presentation shows the status of the design for LAPS at Piñon Elementary School and Chamisa Elementary School with the expanded recreation spaces and multi-purpose meeting spaces that would be available to the community if the County were to participate with LAPS in the Elementary Schools Replacement Project (Attachment A). Estimated square footage and estimated costs are summarized in Attachment A, page 36. Proposed expanded recreational and other spaces for Pinon Elementary School are 10,199 sq. feet and $5,354,475. Proposed expanded recreational and other spaces for Chamisa Elementary School are 12,900 sq. feet and $6,772,500. Proposed expanded multi-purpose meeting space at Chamisa Elementary School is 1,944 sq. feet and $1,020,600.
For this Council meeting, DPS will present design concept for expanded spaces; Jennifer Guy will offer the schools’ perspective; and County staff will provide their recommendation.
Alternatives
Council could consider developing a recreation space in White Rock separate from LAPS. Development costs to realize a facility of similar size may cost two to four times than the proposed budget for capital expenses, plus operational and maintenance expenses.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
Funding for planning and design of the project in the amount of $600,000 was approved in FY2022 under Recreation Projects in the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Fund provided through a State Legislative Capital Outlay Appropriation. Funding for construction of the project in the amount of $6.5 million was approved in FY2023 under Recreation Projects in the CIP Fund.
Attachments
A - DPS Conceptual Expansion Plan