$21 million spent on construction
By Betha Ferrari
An estimated $21 million will be spent on construction and maintenance projects on campus over the next eight years.
Asbestos removal, estimated to cost about $6 million, is the largest project scheduled to begin this year. In August the College Board approved the project with work scheduled to begin in December.
Funded through Life Safety bonds, the work will include removing and containing asbestos insulation in the ceilings of buildings A, B, and C.
Kris Paul, chair of the Board, said "We are fortunate to be able to address this insulation problem before it becomes a threat to the health and safety of students, employees, faculty and staff."
Another major project for this year is the replacement of roofing on buildings D, E, and G, underway at this time.
Estimated to cost about $428,000, the project includes removal of existing shingles and replacement of them with a standing seam metal roof designed to be more durable.
The roofing is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. Originally the completion date was just before the beginning of the fall semester, but the project was delayed because shipment of roofing materials was delayed, Rousey said.
A project in the planning stages is installation of a new fire alarm system estimated at $325,000. Rousey said a new system would provide better coverage for the campus and allow for future expansion for disaster control and security.
The college has been seeking bids, possibly to be let at the September 16 meeting, after press time, for the replacement of a hood in the biology lab to insure proper ventilation. Rousey said that project has been budgeted for $150,000.
Another project underway is remodeling in the Audio Visual area on the top floor of building C to provide a training room for a new computer software system for college records. Work on this project is being completed by the college maintenance staff.
During the summer the windows in building D were replaced with more energy-efficient windows, exterior trim was painted, and new electrical service was run to the LRC. Rousey said that work cost about $84,000.
Sept. 17, 1998 the Apache