Board looks at options for DCMS

The USD 443 Board of Education is still weighing possible options for providing additional middle school facilities for the community.
    The board discussed the possibilities during a work session Monday night but did not take any action.
    The options include renovating Dodge City Middle School and either converting Hennessey Hall, located on the former St. Mary's of the Plains College campus, into a middle school or building a new middle school.
    On May 19, Tom Montgomery of GossenLivingston Architects presented concept designs and preliminary cost estimates for these facility options. On Monday night, Montgomery showed the board updated floor plans and designs for these two options.
    The Hennessey Hall renovation would ultimately create 142,464 square feet of educational space, including 85,564 square feet of remodeling and 58,900 square feet in new construction. The total estimated cost of the concept design is more than $34 million for site improvements, including approximately $9 million in soft costs such as legal fees, administration costs and all furnishings, supplies and equipment for the building.
    Montgomery also presented plans to renovate the current Dodge City Middle School campus, which would cost $31.5 million.
    A plan to build a new middle school to house 500 or 1,000 students was also discussed.The concept design on the 500-student middle school would cost about $36.2 million, while the price tag for the 1,000-student middle school could run as high as $72 million.
    Superintendent Alan Cunningham reminded the board that the initial concept designs could be changed to cut costs.
    "We need to look at what we actually need," he said. 
    Cunningham also said the state would pay 48 percent of the proposed bond issue amount; however, because this number changes yearly, it could fluctuate before the project's completion.
    The board is expected to make a recommendation of action for a bond issue election by Aug. 11.

    EDITOR'S NOTE: More details of the board's options will appear in Wednesday's edition of the Daily Globe.

Reach Cherise Forno at (620) 408-9931 or e-mail her at t.cherise.forno@dodgeglobe.com.