ALPINE SEEKS VIEWS ON BUILDINGS

Alpine School District officials will continue discussion Tuesday night on ways to solve the district's crowding problems at its elementary schools and high schools, and they want to know how residents feel.

This will be the third board study session on the subject. At past meetings, board members have heard information on bonding to build new schools, remodeling existing schools and adding more portable classrooms, shifting school boundaries or implementing innovative alternative scheduling. So far, bonding to build four new schools appears to be the option board members favor."I think we tell residents if the bond doesn't pass, (the other options) are what we're going to have to do," board member Guy Fugal said at the last study session.

Using cost estimates of schools built recently in Utah, business director Jack McKelvy says it would cost about $80 million to build two elementary schools and two high schools. Luana Searle, superintendent of elementary schools, said one elementary school would be built in Orem and one in American Fork. Gary Keetch, superintendent of secondary schools, said a high school would be built in each of the same two cities.

The district has a legal bonding capacity of about $98 million. In 1992 voters approved a $30 million bond to build two junior high schools. However, the district's tax rate is still the eighth lowest among Utah's 40 districts. If the district bonded for $80 million and immediately built one elementary school and one high school, and the other two schools in 1997, taxes on a $100,000 home would increase about $60 a year. If all schools were built immediately the taxes could increase twice that amount.

At the last study session, Searle said it would cost the district about $7.5 million to remodel elementary schools and shift boundaries. Because most elementary schools already have portable classroom and are using alternative scheduling, the district must build at least one new elementary school at a cost of about $6 million.

"I don't see how we can get by without an additional elementary school in American Fork," Searle said.

Keetch said it would cost about $9 million to remodel existing high schools and change boundaries. Without changing boundaries, the district would have to spend about $12 million in remodeling. He said alternative scheduling at the high-school level would likely meet a lot of opposition.

"It's very difficult to make a year-round high school go," Keetch said.

The board asked McKelvy, Searle and Keetch to research building plans and construction options that would allow the district to build for less than $80 million. A concrete slab high school was recently built near St. George for about $14 million. The three administrators are expected to give that report to the board Tuesday night.

Prior to Tuesday's study session, residents will get an opportunity to address the board. Those who wish to comment must sign up prior to the meeting. Because a bond election likely would be held in May or November, the board is expected to decide within the next month on which direction to proceed.