Trustees of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District came to a standstill Dec. 4 regarding how—and if—they will fund $120,110 in overage costs for a roughly $2.8 million project that would add eight classrooms to Aromas School before the start of next school year.
“I feel I need to make a comment. We need to make a decision,” said Bill Rupert, the district director of maintenance, operations and transportation. “We are in jeopardy of not having those classrooms ready Aug. 1.”
At Rupert’s persuading, the board approved a $500,000 lease-lease back agreement with Dilbeck & Sons general contractors that will provide utilities for the project, but could not agree on a plan to cover the overage costs for construction despite three motions for action and one roll call vote.
Matters were not helped by the fact that only four trustees were in the room after Jose Flores resigned last week so his wife could pursue a potential promotion in the district.
Trustee Monica Martinez-Guaracha was in favor of approving the overage funds plus a contingency fund, used to fund emergency or unexpected costs so builders don’t have to stop construction and go back to the board to ask for more money. Trustee Jeff Hancock was opposed to adding a new contingency fund and to paying Peter Kasavan, the president of Kasavan Architects, anymore money until the job was done.
“I can rapidly see this going into general fund unless we’re really careful,” said Hancock.
“Well, it can’t unless we approve it,” said Colby.
Trustees first learned that plans for the Aromas project were as much as $160,000 over budget at the regularly scheduled board meeting Oct. 22. The number had been brought down to $120,110 at the recent meeting. That was with $77,000 going toward soil mitigation to address the fact that the building site is near the San Andreas fault line and has sandy soil with a high water table—the perfect recipe for soil liquefaction.
Colby led a motion to fund the $120,110 in overage fees with $97,000 coming from Measure Z bond money and the remaining money coming from the general fund, but got no second.
Martinez-Guaracha led a motion offering the board cover the overage costs plus a 5 percent contingency fund, which brought the total dollar amount up to $260,148, but she got no second for her motion.
“Without a contingency it’s ridiculous. We’re going to have to hope and they’re going to come back,” Martinez-Guaracha said.
“See, it’s interesting because we already had a contingency and they came back again,” Hancock said.
Colby led a third motion to approve the $120,110 in overage fees with a 3 percent contingency fee for a total of $204,133 and received a second. In a roll call vote Colby and Martinez-Guaracha were in favor, while Hancock and Trustee Magdalena Medina voted against it.
“We’re stuck,” Martinez-Guaracha said.
The board will hold their next regularly scheduled board meeting at 6 p.m. at San Juan School at 100 Nyland Drive in San Juan Bautista.
