Upgrade Estimates Range from $$$$ to $$$$$

May 24, 2019

At the last Allenstown School Board on May 13, the Harriman Group presented their final report on the options for upgrading the Elementary School (AES) and the Dupont School (ARD). The meeting was poorly attended with about 35 people present compared to about 50 at the previous meeting.

Since there was no report of this meeting on either the Allenstown web site, the school board web site, the Manchester Union-Leader, or the Concord Monitor, this eyewitness report was written for your edification.

The topic of moving ARD students to Three Rivers in Pembroke was not discussed.

NOTE: Some RSA or education policy requires central schools (Pre-K to 8) to be built on at least 12 acres. That is why AES cannot be enlarged to take in the ARD students. The source of this requirement is still to be identified.

For the detailed report which includes cost estimates and school layouts, go to the Harriman Feasibility Study. (It boggles the mind that they could not come up with a more compact web address for this report.)

Several options were presented, ranging from $13.2 million for AES only to $44.6 million for a new Pre-K to 8 central school. If those numbers didn't make you pass out, read on.

Options for AES

Three options were presented for AES, each one getting more expensive.

Baseline Option (Pre-K to 4th)

This option repairs the major deficiencies and adds a few rooms at the rear.

Size: 39,715 sq. ft.

Cost: $13,252,820 ($333.70/sq. ft.)

Option 1 (Pre-K to 5th)

This option adds in the fifth grade and several classrooms across the rear of the current building.

Size: 47,935 sq. ft.

Cost: $17,911,880 ($373.67/sq. ft.)

Option 2 (Pre-K to 5th)

This option adds in the fifth grade, several classrooms extending to the rear of the current building, and allows for a future second floor.

Size: 48,560 sq. ft.

Cost: $18,191,880 ($374.63/sq. ft.)

Options for ARD

For ARD, all options called for a replacement of that building with another facility.

Option 1. Replace ARD with a grade 5-8 middle school on a new site.

Recommended building size: 44,000 sq. ft.

Cost: $23,808,000 ($541.09/sq. ft.)

Option 2. Replace ARD with a grade 6-8 middle school on a new site. This option moves 5th grade to AES.

Recommended building size: 34,000 sq. ft.

Cost: $18,863,500 ($554.81/sq. ft.)

Option 3. New Pre-K to 8 central school

This option requires finding a minimum 12 acres site (state requirement), building a new school, and abandoning AES and ARD.

Recommended building size: 86,600 sq. ft.

Cost: $44,660,900 ($515.71/sq. ft.)

At the end of the presentation, it appeared that they were not going to talk about the ARD to Three Rivers scenario, but instead started discussing other nuts and bolts school topics. At this point your reporter departed.

What You Can Do

Does anyone know any local billionaires?

In a brief discussion with another resident, an alternative idea was noted. The school needs to do more than accept the estimate of one contractor. On the town government side, for all high cost expenditures, they require at least three bids. Why is the school board accepting Harriman's report as the only way to solve the situation?

This resident said a list of the most critical repairs needed for ARD could be compiled. That would be less costly and allow for the continued use of ARD and avoid the need to ask the town to approve a huge bond that would take 20-30 years to pay off.

Your task: Call or write to the school board members and insist/urge/demand (pick one) that they solicit one or two more estimates. All they have to do is show those other vendors the reports that they already paid for. Also contact the staff members who work at ARD and urge them to come up with their own plan for renovations.