‘Burg Local Planning Committee approves district facility plan

The Williamsburg Independent School District’s Local Planning Committee unanimously approved its district facility plan during a meeting on Thursday.

The plan, which had been sent to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) for review, had received several comments from a KDE facilitator.

The first comment said that plan the KDE uses to review the plan, The Kentucky School Facilities Planning Manual, does not include specifics for an 800-student school, so the review was modified.

The second comment stated that the security improvements proposed in the district facility plan were appropriate. The plan included new security features or renovations such as main entrance security locks, an entrance camera/intercom, classroom door locks, classroom door window coverings and exterior access control to all exterior doors. The cost estimate for those improvements is approximately $84,400.

The facilitator made comments on section two of the district facility plan, which includes capital construction priorities.

Proposed major renovations to the school noted in the plan include: site development to address drainage, parking lot and drive repaving, bus and parent dropoff/pickup canopies, exterior doors, hardware and exterior windows, bleacher replacement and equipment upgrades, new floor finishes, parking lot lighting, window film at each classroom, cafeteria, and library as well as the proposed construction of an additional elementary art classroom, elementary music classroom, kitchen addition, cafeteria addition, and elementary gym.

The total for major renovations was estimated at $1,239,258. Proposed construction projects were estimated at $3,614,368.

By adding an additional 1,455 square feet to the cafeteria, it will be able to accommodate preschool students as well as the other students. In years past, preschool students ate in their classroom, but they will be transitioning to eat in the cafeteria.

The KDE also commented on the district’s proposal to build a second gymnasium. Superintendent Tim Melton told the committee that he explained to the KDE facilitator that there are multiple classes within the gymnasium simultaneously.

With the comments from KDE, the district facility plan has been revised and that version was passed unanimously by the six members of the committee who were in attendance.

A public forum was hosted at the school on Monday, but no one attended the event.

The Williamsburg Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the district facility plan sending it on to the state to be placed on the KDE’s August agenda.

The proposed plan will most likely not be enacted for a couple of years because of the district’s bonding potential.