INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The long talked about new administration complex for the School District is expected to break ground this summer, provided all the pieces fall into place as anticipated.
The School Board voted 4-0 Tuesday evening on each of four agenda items that cleared the way for the new $7.3 million complex, which would be built west of Storm Grove Middle School.
“I think this is something that’s a long-time coming,” School Board member Claudia Jimenez. Her sentiment was echoed among her fellow board members.
School Board member Karen Disney-Brombach was absent from the meeting Tuesday.
Since 2008, the School Board has considered its options for the administration complex. The building in which the district operates is the former Vero Beach hospital and is owned by the Indian River County government.
The School District pays rent to the County, which comes from the District’s general fund – money that could otherwise be spent on teacher salaries and classrooms, according to the School Board.
It’s “never a real good idea” to put money into a rental, School Board member Matt McCain said. From a “purely financial” perspective, he said he could support moving forward on the new complex.
The Indian River County government plans to demolish the School District administrative complex as soon as the District vacates, School Board members said Tuesday night. Given the County’s plans to tear down the building, the County would not appear willing to make repairs the School Board says are necessary to stay at the current site.
The School District has estimated it would cost more than $4 million to rehabilitate the building, which needs a new roof and a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system – among other improvements.
“I’m very excited about this project,” School Board member Dale Simchick said, adding that she commends Assistant Superintendent of Information and Technology Bruce Green for maintaining the District’s data center as well as he has given its current state.
“I’m very afraid for our data center,” Simchick said, explaining that the new complex would allow for better security and protection for the District’s data hub.
The four items the School Board voted unanimously on to move the project forward consisted of:
Transferring the remaining $1.57 million from the Storm Grove Middle School and Support Services Complex construction project into the admin complex budget;
Allocating the $1 million proceeds from the sale of the Osceola Magnet and another School District-owned property;
Amending the contract with Donadio and Associates to complete the architectural design plans for the complex – the School Board had hired Donadio to create a 20 percent design last year;
Advertising for a Construction Manager at Risk and negotiating the fees to oversee the construction of the complex.
“This was the right thing to do,” School Board Chair Carol Johnson said. “It was not the easiest thing to do.”