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SUNNY Temp: 41 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, November 28, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 13, 2002 Eagle Point weighs options Fire insurance could pay for building a new elementary school — among other ideas By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune EAGLE POINT — Out of the ashes of the middle school has emerged an idea to build a new elementary campus that could replace Little Butte or Glenn D. Hale or both. "It is likely we will rebuild, but we have made no decision yet," said school board chairwoman Yvonne Fletes. "We want to get a better sense of what the community wants." The district is still waiting to hear from its insurance company about the cost of rebuilding versus a cash settlement for the middle school campus, destroyed last month in a fire. Typically, insurance companies offer a smaller amount for a cash settlement, making that a potentially less-attractive option. The district is thinking of moving out of one or both elementary schools if it can build a replacement campus of sufficient size at the middle school site. If Little Butte were no longer used, the district could move its administrative offices to that campus. The fire destroyed about 50,000 square feet of the 93,000-square-foot middle school. A new 56,000-square-foot middle school and a 40,000-square-foot elementary school already are being built in Eagle Point at a cost of $14 million, derived from $34 million in voter- approved bond money. Fletes said the build option is just one of many ideas floating around the community. "There are too many things, too many options, too many question marks out there," she said. Some of the question marks include future enrollment projections, long-term school funding and whether a cash settlement should be used to help bring in more teachers to the district. Little Butte and Glenn D. Hale, with combined enrollment of 1,000 students, are located across the street from the rubble of the former middle school. Some of the students are scheduled next fall to move into the new elementary school, which will be at the north end of town. The rest of the students could potentially fit into a new school across the street, creating a 500-plus elementary campus. Fletes said she senses that the community would like to see a new campus built on the middle school site, particularly if enrollment continues to increase. "If we need to build a new school three or four or five years down the road, it is something we will have to keep in mind," she said. Fletes doesn’t want to build if it means the district will just end up having empty classrooms. She also worries about creating a large elementary school. "I think we’re a growing community, but we’re also in an economy that’s not that strong," she said. District Finance Director Greg Lecuyer agreed that rebuilding appears to be the most likely option, but said no decisions will be made until the insurance company presents its settlement. In the meantime, the district will receive bids to demolish the fire-damaged gym and classrooms, which are contaminated with asbestos. Lecuyer anticipates demolition could begin in early October. The district has received $200,000 from the insurance company to help the district set up double shifts at the high school. Lecuyer said the money could be used for demolition, but the district will likely pay it out of pocket, reimbursing itself once a settlement has been reached. "We just want to get rid of that eyesore," he said. "The sooner we get it all cleared out, the better." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S