District OKs $170k for overage on classrooms

Aromas-San Juan Unified School District trustees voted last week to spend $170,000 more than originally anticipated on a $2.6 million project to build eight permanent classrooms.
In late October, trustees learned there were would likely be between $150,00 and $160,000 in overage fees for a project that replaced nine portables with eight permanent classrooms at Aromas School.
Trustees cancelled plans to install security cameras with bond money and approved additional funding with between $45,000 and $80,000 coming from Measure Z and about $80,000 likely coming from the general fund, said Superintendent Ruben Zepeda.
The trustees’ decision came after a meeting in mid-December when they had three motions for action and one roll call vote but could not make a decision on the project funding. At that meeting, four of five trustees were present after Trustee Jose Flores resigned in late November.
After the Division of the State Architect recently approved plans for the project, the superintendent took action and went straight to the board to request funding for a $120,110 overage plus a contingency fund for a total amount at $170,000.
Continuing to delay a decision would have meant stopping the project, which is supposed to be in place by the fall of next school year, the superintendent said.
“That would have put us behind in a situation where we wouldn’t have been able to open when school started,” Zepeda said.
The approved money will go toward materials for a foundation that won’t liquefyduring an earthquake and toward building a retaining wall due to a sloping grade close to the high school gym.