Fort Smith, Ark., School Board Approved Comprehensive Plan to Upgrade Facilities

Mon February 05, 2024 - Southeast Edition
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

The Fort Smith School District in Arkansas plans to spend almost $23 million through the 2029-30 school year to improve many of its facilities, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Feb. 4.

Joseph Velasquez, the public-school district's construction project manager, told board members Jan. 22 that a new, six-year plan must be submitted to the state every three years.

Superintendent Terry Morawski confirmed the plan needs to be submitted, but the projects do not have to be completed according to the timeline, if at all, if the district changes its mind for any reason.

Among the projects still remaining in the 2023-24 school year, according to Velasquez, are:

An underground roof drainage at Peak Innovation Center for $250,000.
An art space at Peak for $800,000.
A roof and HVAC replacement at Kimmons Middle School for $3 million.
A roof replacement at Southside High School for $2.8 million.
A roof replacement at Chaffin Middle School for $1.7 million.

He said most of the planned roof projects will be covered by insurance funding due to hail damage, which is where the cost estimates originate. More definitive replacement costs will be available when the contractors are hired, Velasquez added.

Projects scheduled for the 2024-25 school year include:

Installing an elevator at Northside High School for $90,000.
A new elevator at Fairview Elementary for $40,000.
A new roof at the Fort Smith School District's service center for $1.7 million.
A district-wide building automation system for $90,000.
An update to the kitchen plumbing system at Fairview for $70,000.
Demolition of district properties around Northside for $300,000.
Replacement of the roof and the HVAC system at Orr Elementary for $866,000.
Installing a new HVAC system at Darby Middle School for $500,000.

Beyond the next school year, the Fort Smith School District's improvement project schedule includes:

In 2025-26, an update to the kitchen plumbing system at Ramsey Middle School for $100,000, roof replacements at Fairview Elementary for $1 million, at Ramsey for $907,000, at Barling Elementary for $423,000, and at the Northside science wing and field house for $2 million.
In 2026-27, a roof replacement and HVAC upgrade at Sutton Elementary for $1.1 million, and new roof installations at Woods Elementary and Carnall Elementary for $979,000 and $711,000, respectively.
The 2027-28 school year will see work to install a new roof at Cavanaugh Elementary for a projected $779,000, at Cook Elementary School for $686,000, and the district's Chaffee Warehouse for $67,000.
More new roofs in 2028-29 — at Ballman Elementary for $671,000, Spradling Elementary for $556,000, and Howard Elementary, estimated to cost $343,000.
In 2029-30, the Fort Smith school system is planning more new roofs at Belle Point, with a projected price tag of $192,000, at the adult education center for $235,000, the Parker Center for $217,000, and the Rogers Center for $76,000.

Many Projects Could Be Finished Early to Hold Down Costs

Addie Reith, the Fort Smith School District's communications specialist, said the money for these upgrades will come out of the system's capital improvement budget.

"I know that replacing my roof at home is not the same as this," Susan Krafft, a member of the school board, noted at the Jan. 22 meeting, "but when we're talking about an insurance claim to replace a roof five years from now, is there already damage that occurred so you know that insurance will cover it?"

Velasquez confirmed that the district's insurance company has inspected the damage done to the effected schools. He also said the reason those projects are being spread out over several years is so that they can be completed during the summers when students are not on campus.

"Now if there are situations that arise where there is a leak within the building, our policy does allow us to come in and do a patch on that existing roof, which our team has been documenting to submit to the insurance as needed," he explained.

Another Fort Smith School Board member, Matt Blaylock, said delaying the repairs too long means the price could increase 15 percent to 20 percent due to inflation.

But Velasquez countered that many of the projects will be completed sooner, if possible, while adding the Fort Smith Public School's administration has been talking with the insurance adjuster about the escalation of costs and materials.