Board approves renovation architect funding

The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a school board request for $1,068,000 to secure a design contract from a Baltimore-based firm for the Culpeper County High School renovation.

Culpeper County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Bobbi Johnson announced to the board that Hord, Coplan and Macht was the selected firm and agreed to the price, which was significantly lower than the $1.3 million originally budgeted for the design phase.

In November 2012, Culpeper voters approved a $21 million bond referendum to repair the aging building.

“This particular company had a lot of ideas for natural light, for energy efficiency,” said Johnson. She said that seven companies had been interviewed. “They had very innovative ideas in  very cost-effective ways to bring natural light and a modern feel to the building.”

Johnson said that some selling points for selecting Hord, Coplan and Macht were an aggressive proposed timeline, awareness of the county’s limited budget, 3D plans for the building and that the company would find ways to incorporate student learning into the project. She mentioned that some proposed ideas were installing plastic glass walls so students could observe the process and helping teachers incorporate the formulas and physics of the renovation work into science and math lessons.

Cedar Mountain district supervisor Larry Aylor sat in on the interview process as the board’s representative and spoke highly of the selected company.

“The seven [companies] that were interviewed really were the cream of the crop,” said Aylor. The selected firm “came with a schedule to work in-house with school in session … they really had done their homework.”

Johnson said that the school board has advised the firm to attempt to design plans that would involve only one bid as opposed to designs calling for several companies to complete the renovation. She said she felt that one company doing the renovation would be the most cost-effective way to proceed. She added that she hoped plans would be completed and ready for bids by mid to late summer.

After hearing that the board had saved money on the design phase, West Fairfax district supervisor Steve Nixon encouraged continued savings throughout the renovation process.

“I’m just going to encourage you to save as much money as you can on this project,” said Nixon. He noted that money saved on the renovation could be put toward other projects in the school system.

In other business, county attorney Roy Thorpe formally announced to the board his retirement, effective May 1. Thorpe thanked the board for allowing him to serve and said the county had already received a number of applicants to replace him.

The position is currently listed on the county’s website and the application deadline is Feb. 15. After the deadline, the board of supervisors will review applicants and appoint the new county attorney.

Thorpe also announced that newly appointed 16^th Circuit Chief Judge Daniel Bouton had signed an order that requests the Virginia Supreme Court to appoint a three-judge panel to finalize the recently passed Voluntary Settlement of Annexation and Utility Issues.

The board also formally requested that the town construct a sewer line connecting the Greens Corner Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Town of Culpeper Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was a provision of the voluntary settlement agreement.

With the new line, the Eastern View High School area would be included in the town’s sewer service area. According to county planner John Egertson, the town already provides water service to the school.

Egertson also said that Greens Corner Wastewater Treatment Plant was built to be portable, and when the line is completed, the facility could be moved to a different area, although he conceded that moving it would be costly.

Nixon felt that the issue of what to do with the Greens Corner plant after the line is built should be addressed as moving it would be so costly.

“We have to have a plan for what happens after that,” Nixon said. Egertson said, after the meeting, that what to do with the plant was a separate issue and the board requesting the line was a necessary formality to move forward with the utility agreement.

During a special presentation, the board recognized Eastern View High School student, Jacob Hawkins, for outstanding achievement in being selected and participating as a member of the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band.

“The young men and women chosen demonstrate the U.S. Army core values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honesty, integrity and personal courage in their everyday lives,” said county administrator Frank Bossio during a prepared statement. “Inclusion in the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band is a top-tier validation of his accomplishments.”