Minutes Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board Meeting Vision

Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board Meeting Minutes
Vision
All students in Colorado will become educated and productive citizens
capable of succeeding in a global society, in the workforce, and in life.
Goals
Every student, every step of the way
Read by
third grade
Start strong
Meet or
exceed standards
Date & Time:
September 24, 2014
1:00p.m.
Lyndon Burnett – Chair
Karl Berg
Kathy Gebhardt
Graduate
ready
Location:
201 E. Colfax, Room 101
Denver, CO 80203
Capital Construction Assistance Board Members
Ken Haptonstall
Denise Pearson
Tim Reed
David Tadlock
Matt Throop
Cyndi Wright
I. Call to order – 1:02 p.m.
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Roll call: Attendees: Lyndon Burnett, Karl Berg, Kathy Gebhardt, Denise Pearson, Tim Reed, Cyndi Wright,
David Tadlock, Matt Throop. CDE Staff Attendees: Scott Newell, Leanne Emm, Cheryl Honigsberg, Kevin Huber,
Paul Reynolds. BEST Attorney General: Heidi Dineen
IV. Approve agenda
• The CCAB Chair asked for a motion to approve the agenda;
o So moved by Denise Pearson;
o Tim Reed 2nd the motion;
o Motion to approve the agenda carried unanimously.
V. Approve previous minutes from the August 27th, 2014 meeting
• The CCAB Chair asked for a motion to approve the previous minutes from the August 27th, 2014 meeting;
o So moved by Tim Reed;
o Matt Throop 2nd the motion;
o Discussion: Denise Pearson asked for the motion under section XII, action item a) to be amended to
state the correct motion. The CCAB agreed.
o Motion to approve the amended August 27th, 2014 meeting minutes carried unanimously.
VI. Board Report
The CCAB had no reports at this meeting.
VII. Director’s Report
Scott Newell introduced the Division’s newest employee Paul Reynolds. Scott Newell told the CCAB Paul would
be working as a financial analyst for the public school finance unit and the division of capital construction. Paul
Reynolds introduced himself and told the CCAB about his background and previous experiences. Each CCAB
member introduced themselves to Paul.
Scott Newell updated the CCAB on the upcoming groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings. Scott Newell told the
CCAB about upcoming presentations the Division would be participating in. Scott Newell also gave an update on
the stakeholder video that is in the early stages of development. CCAB member Denise Pearson said she would
be attending the Ellicott ribbon cutting ceremony.
VIII. Action Items
Elect a board vice-chairperson. Scott Newell reviewed the CCAB’s standard operating procedures and noted
how elections for board chair and vice-chair positions are to be held in September of even numbered years.
Scott Newell noted the CCAB did not currently have a vice-chair person.
Lyndon Burnett explained the way he felt the standard operating procedures read, and that the CCAB could
also vote to elect a new board chairperson as well.
o Matt Throop made a motion to keep Lyndon Burnett as the CCAB’s chairperson;
o Denise Pearson 2nd the motion;
o Discussion: Lyndon Burnett asked that if a motion was going to be made, that the agenda be
amended to add the action item.
o
o
Cyndi Wright made a motion to amend the agenda to add an action item to elect a board
chairperson;
David Tadlock 2nd the motion;
Motion to amend the agenda to elect a board chairperson carried unanimously.
o
Motion to keep Lyndon Burnett as the CCAB’s chairperson carried unanimously.
o
o
o
Kathy Gebhardt made a motion to nominate David Tadlock for the vice-chairperson position.
Matt Throop 2nd the motion;
Discussion: Denise Pearson asked David Tadlock if he was interested in being the vice-chairperson.
David Tadlock stated he was. Lyndon Burnett asked if there were any more nominations, there were
none.
Motion to elect David Tadlock as vice-chairperson for the CCAB carried unanimously.
o
o
IX. Discussion Items
Scott Newell suggested the first few items on the agenda be discussed at a later time, since he was expecting
the deputy state treasurer and their attorney general to be present for the conversation. The CCAB agreed, and
started from the bottom up on the agenda; item f).
• Status update on the Ft. Morgan lease-purchase process. Scott Newell discussed the project, noting the
district was going to do a land swap for no cost. Scott Newell updated the CCAB on the status of the project,
and stated no additional offering would be needed. Scott Newell told the CCAB there was enough money left
over from previous lease-purchase projects to fund the project.
• Discuss the status of Kim School District 88 and Moffat School District 2 escalation concerns. Scott Newell
told the CCAB he had surveyed other open lease-purchase projects and that no other projects were
experiencing drastic escalation increases. Scott Newell told the CCAB that they could not do an off cycle grant
award for the projects. Scott Newell told the CCAB that the draw down schedule for fund requests had been
reviewed and that the projects would not run out of funds before the next grant cycle. The projects will be able
to come for a supplemental grant, if needed, during the upcoming grant cycle. Scott Newell noted these would
be supplemental requests.
David Tadlock said the situation felt like an emergency grant was needed. Scott Newell explained the statutory
criteria for an emergency grant noting why the districts would not qualify. Cheryl Honigsberg discussed the
additional funds that are needed to complete the project for the Kim 88 project. Desi Navarro, the owner’s
representative for Moffat 2, explained what areas of the project would have to be cut in order for the project
to not go over budget. Cyndi Wright asked if any of the grants that were recently awarded were asking for
additional money due to escalation. Scott Newell said there were none, noting that the recently awarded
projects were smaller cash grants, and not lease-purchase financed grants like Moffat and Kim. The CCAB
discussed other details related to each of the projects. The CCAB asked each district to document everything
thoroughly and encouraged them to work closely with division staff when preparing their supplemental grants.
The CCAB Chair called for a brief recess 2:02-2:12 p.m.
• Review options for procuring a Capital Construction Assistance Board legislative liaison. Scott Newell talked
briefly about a memo that was given to the CCAB regarding procuring a legislative liaison. Heidi Dineen
discussed the memo, and reiterated the CCAB’s powers and duties that are written in statute. Heidi Dineen
discussed different boards, their types and some other powers and duties each has. Heidi Dineen explained
how each state department is only allowed one lobbyist. Scott Newell explained to the CCAB that there is a
process for legislative items that need to go to the state board. Scott Newell talked about the decision item
that was submitted for the statewide assessment update.
Heidi Dineen said the best bet would be to get outside support. Lyndon Burnett stated that the BEST program
had lots of support from other entities, and that they are willing to lobby for the program. Tim Reed suggested
that the CCAB should be working more closely with CDE when dealing with legislative items. Leanne Emm
discussed the decision item process and timeline, and suggested getting the assessment updated before
additional funds were asked for. Leanne Emm also suggested the CCAB develop a list of legislative priorities
that could be presented to the state board to help get their support when moving forward with legislative
items. Scott Newell recommended the CCAB put together a two to three year legislative action list.
The CCAB moved on to discuss the viability of refinancing the BEST lease-purchase debt. Scott Newell told the
CCAB there were not many options and that most of the debt series were financed at 0% interest. Heidi Dineen
discussed why refinancing would not be cost effective and how sequestration could affect the debt payments in
the future. Heidi Dineen told the CCAB that the treasurer’s office was not planning on financing the Ft. Morgan
project, since there were enough funds leftover from other projects to fund Ft. Morgan. Heidi Dineen told the
CCAB she could have the treasurer’s financial analysts looking into refinancing options.
• Discuss the Capital Construction Assistance Board’s legislative agenda. Lyndon Burnett suggested a
separate subcommittee meeting be held in the middle of October. The CCAB agreed.
• Review status of the Pubic School Construction Guidelines and BEST Program Rule updates. Scott Newell
updated the CCAB on the status of the construction guidelines and told the CCAB that the BEST rules needed to
updated as well. Scott Newell explained the process for updating rules with the secretary of state’s office. Karl
Berg asked about the construction guidelines and wanted to know what they were for. Scott Newell explained
what the statute says the guidelines should be used for. Scott Newell also said there are other entities outside
the BEST program who could benefit from the use of the guidelines, and that more information was going to be
included. Members of the CCAB discussed the guidelines further.
X. Public comment
The CCAB Chair asked if there was anyone from the public signed up to speak, there were none.
XI. Future meetings
The CCAB Chair told the CCAB that the division was going to send out dates for an October subcommittee
meeting. Lyndon Burnett noted the upcoming meetings, and told the CCAB the December 5, 2014 meeting
would be held at the Colorado Association of School Board member’s conference in Colorado Springs.
XII. Adjournment
• The CCAB Chair called for a motion to adjourn;
o So moved by Matt Throop;
o Denise Pearson 2nd the motion;
o Motion to adjourn carried unanimously;
o Meeting adjourned 3:24 p.m.