Here is something I looked at really hard. I tried to come up with a solution to make the former military building functional for our school. the biggest problem is the difference in the level between the high school building and the original military buildings. this presents a difficult problem when it comes to access and traffic flow, plus it is an ADA nightmare. simply put we would be stuck with the stairs and limited functionality for the next 50 years if we renovate and add to the building. This becomes a deal breaker when you consider what the district has been through in recent years dealing with the deteriorating elementary building in Ceresco. the original 1911 building was added onto in 1928, the addition settled over the years and was not able to be renovated. It would be irresponsible to go down the very same road again. we need to learn from the past mistakes and make responsible decisions for the future. the original military building used for the jr high wing is close to 50 years old now, and has deteriorated considerably due to poor maintenance. It doesn't function well for a school and has the problem of the 5 foot difference in height compared to the high school. the few classrooms in the building is hardly worth leaving our kids, grandkids, and their kids to deal with the curse of the stairs and an obsolete building for the next 50 years. We simply cannot afford to keep the building in use if we intend to gain efficiency and move into the future.
The wrestling building is in worse shape and doesn't function well for the needs of the athletes that use it. it could be used for something with some repairs however the sharp increase in energy costs recently means we desperately need to improve our efficiency. by discontinuing the use of the jr high wing, office and kitchen we would eliminate 2 boilers, another if the wrestling goes. the supt office building has had some recent remodel and roof. it could continue to be used for administration, alt school, and sped if needed. a side note, our wrestlers were state champions. The wrestling teams and coaches also deserve better facilities. the bottom line is the jh wing and kitchen has to go if we are going to move ahead. there is no point spending millions adding on to a building that doesn't function in the system, and not correcting one of our worst problems, the stairs and the connecting link. It is just like building on a foundation of sand and I am not willing to do that. the wrestling building should also go away. we will pay dearly for energy costs to keep the building in use. it would be nice to start fresh and eliminate the admin building as well. it is functional so it may still serve a purpose in the system if we decide to keep it. In my drawing / brainstorming the admin building was kept, the wrestling area was used for a nice big parking lot for events. To be responsible we should carefully evaluate the cost to replace the space vs the cost of energy to keep the building in use. it may turn out to be another no brainer. Anything we would try to do using the old buildings would be like putting lipstick and a dress on a pig. looks nice on the outside, but still a pig underneath.. This is number 2 on my list.
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