FROM THE NEWSROOM: Amid criticism about plans for a new gymnasium at Putnam High School, which is about to under go an extensive renovate as new project, Superintendent Bill Hull answered questions about why the gymnasium plans do no include a larger foot print or better amenities. Speaking on the WINY Talk Show Monday, the Superintendent fielded calls and questions about whether the new gym is merely a reconfiguration of the same square footage, and whether sports staff were consulted in the plans. Hull said that the school system is working within a finite budget – a $36.5 million budget – but that unexpected costs related to remediation have cut back the coffers of the school board. After the town applied for and a received a 73 percent reimbursement rate of the project, remediation of contaminants at the site were brought to light – expected to take up several million dollars of the overall budget to remove. Critics – including the towns Mayor and Recreation Department Head – say that Putnams new facility should mirror more closely those of surrounding school districts gymnasiums; that costs associated with remediation should have been researched earlier in the development of plans for the renovation project, so the town could applied for additional state funding; and that local sports officials should had been consulted in the planning of the new gym facility. Hull says that, while plans for the gym are not set in stone the concrete is drying fast – the August 5th High School Building Committee Meeting is likely the last chance residents will have to express their opinions or wishes related to the high school gym before the plans are submitted for construction. Tune in for the full report.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:43:05 +0000
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