It was a rare meeting of government officials Tuesday, April 6, as school, township and city representatives met to discuss plans for Clarkston school building projects.
Plans for building renovation and additions have been a regular topic of conversation at school board meetings, but school officials wanted to have the same presentation to other local governments, especially as related to infrastructure issues.
Because the school district is an independent government unit, it is exempt from most zoning and site plan requirements, but Superintendent Al Roberts said, ‘We learned our lesson,? in relation to concerns raised after construction of the current high school building. Issues such as drainage and traffic can cause problems, and Roberts said he desired a joint effort to head off as many problems as possible.
‘We want that cooperation,? he said. ‘We want a mutual resolution to these issues.?
School officials asked for feedback, and they got it. Independence Township trustees, especially, quizzed school officials and their consultants on issues ranging from use of buildings to impact on the environment.
Civil engineer DeWayne Hein had already been in contact with township-contracted engineer Randy Ford (who was also present), and had answers for some of the anticipated questions.
Trustee Larry Rosso asked how many students the $83.7 million bond project would be able to handle in the future. Deputy Superintendent David Reschke said he anticipates close to 8,000 students next fall. By the time building is complete in the fall of 2005, the new construction will accommodate some 700 new students and the renovation will shift some programs to increase capacity further.
‘We’re not at full capacity currently,? Reschke said. ‘It’s not that we can only get 700 more kids into the system. We’re adding that, plus we’ll be maximizing the space at the current schools.?
Roberts estimated space as adequate for the next 15 years, but Reschke was a bit more conservative.
‘We’ll probably be good for a decade,? he said. ‘We looked at a decade’s worth of growth.?
Trustee Dan Travis asked about the potential impact of a proposed natural gas pipeline on Sashabaw Middle School. Hein said the Consumers Energy right-of-way is actually north of existing power lines which are north of the school building. The only requested easement is for a ‘staging area? for construction equipment on one corner of school property.
Travis also asked about plans for the current early childhood center on Maybee Road. While the Renaissance High School is due for major renovation, there are plans to move early childhood programs to a new center next to the administrative building on Clarkston Road.
‘We don’t have a definite plan for [the current early childhood center],? Reschke said. Possible uses include a storage or staff training building, or it may be razed to allow for an athletic field, but there are too many needed renovations for it to be used for student education purposes.
Much of the conversation centered on previously announced engineering plans to help with water supplies and storm water drainage at the new administrative/early childhood center on Clarkston Road, Clarkston Middle School and Sashabaw Middle School.
‘This site here is a drainage nightmare,? Travis said of the Clarkston Road site, where a small wetland and a low road surface have caused problems in the past.
Hein described plans for an enlarged wetland to accommodate drainage from the expanded building footprint and a new sanitary sewer line to an existing line on Wealthy Street.
At Clarkston Middle School, officials wondered about current and future drainage issues. Rosso said an area where Paramus Drive intersects with other streets is a particular concern.
‘It’s a mess in the wintertime,? he said. ‘It freezes.?
Hein described planned steps to realign the bus traffic lanes and to redirect drainage from the school parking lot to adjacent playfields. While that will help, Rosso said, ‘It won’t fix it.?
Ford agreed the school site can only be expected to handle their own runoff.
‘It’s a combination of the school site and the surrounding area,? the township engineer said.
School officials assured township DPW Director Linda Richardson that all water easement agreements would be taken care of.
Township Clerk Joan McCrary complimented school architects for the design of the new administrative complex and early childhood center, saying it nicely complements the style of existing homes and a nearby church building.
While Travis believes there is a need for more detailed engineering drawings, he was generally satisfied with the answers he heard. He is still concerned about the Clarkston Road issue, however.
‘It’s been a bone of contention,? Travis said later. ‘I guess if you yell long enough, someone eventually listens.?
Rosso later said the meeting was fruitful.
‘We haven’t worked as well with the school district as we should have before,? he said. ‘Dr. Roberts and Dale Stuart are finally getting their act together. We’ve had a lot of breakdown in communications.?