School officials plan to use extra cash from low construction costs on the new Oaklawn Elementary School for added perks, such as a solar hot water heating system and furniture for a cyber café.
Taxpayers approved a referendum allowing the district to spend up to $13 million on the new school, and the district hired Miron Construction at a base bid of $9.6 million, leaving several million dollars to spare.
The Oshkosh school board will vote tonight on using the extra cash for $604,000 in modified construction plans and $1.5 million in furnishings for the school.
Some of the additional items that would be purchased include:
- Thermal fused flush doors
- A solar hot water heating system
- Moveable walls between some classrooms
- Terrazzo flooring
- Ipad docking stations
- Cyber café furniture and monitors
- A climbing wall
- Appliances, including a washer and dryer
These additions, along with the architectural, engineering and environmental costs, bring the total cost of the project to $12.6 million. Another $375,000 is left as a contingency.
Also during tonight’s meeting:
The school board will vote on a resolution to replace the public forum during the first meeting of the month with a non-televised listening session. The listening session would take place for one-hour prior to the meeting. The resolution only allows the sessions to occur on a trial basis for six months.
The board will vote on a final tax levy of $41.7 million, a 3 percent increase over last year’s levy. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an estimated $884, or $31 more than last year.
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