Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Smithson Details Plans For New Middle School

Gurdon Superintendent Bobby Smithson said the Gurdon Middle School project may well be his last.

He told the Gurdon Rotary Club, at its regular weekly meeting Thursday, July 10, he will most likely retire before the district builds a football field on the campus with the new Gurdon High School.

Smithson told club members how things are going with the GMS project, giving them an update on the district's construction of late.

He said the district got a millage hike of 12 mills three or four years ago which allowed it to build GHS. The idea at that time was to construct a new GMS using second lien bonds.

However, it cost the district more than expected to get the GHS project completed, forcing it to borrow $500,000 in second lien bonds and another $200,000 from the revolving loan program. This, he said, hurt the district's second lien resource.

Last fall, the district asked the voters of Gurdon for a 3 mill increase to build a new GMS, but, Smithson said, a low voter turnout defeated the measure.

This, though, did not alleviate the need for a new middle school. The students were moved from the old middle school, now housing the Clark County Youth Development Center, to the old high school. While the old GHS was in better shape than the old GMS, the need for a new middle school remained.

Smithson said parts of the old GHS building were constructed in the 1920s. Additionally, he said, students are rough on buildings.

The district was fortunate, though, as local assessments jumped by $2 million. Smithson informed the school board the district could utilize this money and try for a second lien bond to build a new GMS.

Stephens Inc. told Smithson the district could borrow $650,000 against the assessments, while the district was able to raise another $350,000 through the Horace Cabe Foundation. The foundation gave the district a grant for $200,000, and the CCYDC one for $150,000. But, the CCYDC grant was for the purchase of the old GMS and could be used no other way.

This gave the district $1 million to build a 25,000 square foot middle school south of the GHS location.

The district hired an architect who met with the staff and drew up plans for the new facility. Smithson said it is hoped the new GMS can be built for $40 per square foot, as there will be no new tax monies coming in to help pay for it.

The second lien bond, he told the club, is like a second mortgage. Along with paying off the first bond, the district has the additional payments for the second one as well. The new assessments, he said, will generate $50,000 to $60,000 annually and has been earmarked to pay off the second bond.

On the other hand, the revolving loan must be paid back within seven or eight years, and must be paid with existing monies the district receives.

Smithson said GHS was built for $38 per square foot, though the district was told it would cost at least $50 per square foot to build. This, he said, was done because the district did much of the work itself and acted as its own general contractor.

Once again, the district will act as its own general contractor to get the GMS building done, while hiring a job superintendent to oversee the project.

The district could benefit from one of its own employees on the plumbing project, as it has a licensed plumber on staff. Smithson said he would like to hire this person in order to save money on construction costs.

Additionally, the district did the first phase of getting the gravel put in for the base itself. One of the board members, Smithson said, hauled the gravel to the site, charging only for the time it took to do the job and fuel costs.

"We're looking for ways to cut costs," Smithson said. "We want to do it for $1 million."

But, plans for the 25,000 square foot facility do not include rooms for the gifted and talented program, nor space for the middle school choir.

Four years ago, the district didn't even have a choir program, he said. Then Sandra Hitt was hired. She not only formed a choir, but has been extremely successful with it.

Smithson said the choir meets twice a day in two different rooms, while the GT program meets seven times a week. He said the district had planned to use vacant rooms, but this meant the choir and GT instructors would be moving their things for each class.

As an alternative, he said, the district had the architect add two rooms to the cost of the GMS plans. "If we think we can build them, we will," Smithson said. "But we also need a PE gym for GMS."

The current gym at GHS can handle two classes at a time, he informed the Rotarians, but there is a concern having different age groups in it at the same time.

Architects said it will cost the district $250,000 to build a second gym, but Smithson said he believes it can be done for less.

Another concern is the size of the cafeteria. He said the district may add the two rooms onto the cafetorium for the lunch spillover, while making use of them as a choir room and GT room otherwise.

It could be August before the district gets the architects final plans for the new GMS, Smithson said. "We'd hoped to get started building next month. It will be an eight to 12 month project, but we should be occupying it by the fall of 1998.

"This leaves the football field," he continued. "A lot of people are concerned, but it's the last priority." Smithson said it will cost about $500,000 to build a new stadium for the Go-Devil grid team, and could be done by using money from the revolving loan program.

"We don't expect to ask for a millage," he said.

He then discussed the Gurdon Primary School, saying the old building is sound, but needs to be completely renovated and have a gable roof installed. "The foundation is solid," he told the club. "I think if we spend $200,000 to $300,000 on GPS it will last a while."

The atmosphere at GHS, he said, is different from the old high school. The students are showing more pride in the facility and are taking care of it. "We have a fine facility out there and should be proud of it," he said.

"I've been pleased to be involved with it," Smithson said of the construction projects. "I've told the board I'll try to stay on until GMS is done. I plan to work two more years, I told the board. I don't expect to be around for the football field.