EPISD facilities committee updates board on 2016 bond projects

On Wednesday the El Paso Independent School District held a facilities committee meeting.

The committee discussed upgrading infrastructure — bond projects and energy efficiency projects.

Last Nov. district voters approved a $668 million bond.

The facilities committee brought board members up to speed on bond projects.

“From one board to the next board it was all pushed down the line until we take the seat,” said District 2 trustee Al Velarde.

Velarde said now is the time to begin building an EPISD for the future.

“Now we have $668 million that we had asked the community for to rebuild and reconstruct schools,” Velarde said.

Velarde was one of the trustees getting updated on the bond projects.

The district has set up four phases for what they call the “design schedule.”

Programming is essentially the preparation.

Schematic design is the design phase.

Design development would be the architectural look with community input and finally construction.

Right now schools up for renovations like Andress high with a total budget close to $32 million is in the program stage.

Austin High School with a nearly $30 million budget is in the program stage as well.

Burges High School with a $52 million budget is in the schematic design.

Coronado High School with a $68 million budget is also in the programming phase.

The district has 92 facilities and 17 those will require major renovations.

Board members were also briefed on a new initiative for creating energy efficiency contracting for the district.

A request for qualifications will be put out for contractors that can determine projects that can help save the district money when it comes to energy efficiency.

“We’re going to partner with a company that will go through and do what’s called and energy audit and they will be able to identify certain projects. We are looking at around 7 to 10 schools other schools besides bond schools that may have the opportunity to perform these projects on,” said deputy superintendent for finance operations Carmen Arrieta Candelaria.

Officials say money from energy savings can go back into projects.

All bond projects are still expected to be completed in five years.

Officials say up to now all projects are on track and on budget.

If you’d like to follow the latest on the EPISD bond projects you can click here