FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

MINUTES

 

March 2, 2006

 

Members Present:  Yassar Ayad; Deb Fleeger; Steve Hoover; Jack Hubauer; Clare Heidler;  Rose Logue; Mike McConnell; Joshua Pearce; Sally Sentner; Karen Smith; Lou Tripodi; Dave Tedjeske; Dave Tomeo; Ron Wilshire

 

Others Present:  Joe Brinkley; Jim Conley; Mark Franchino; Diana Brush

 

I.               Approval of Minutes – October 27, 2005, November 22, 2005 and December 15, 2006

 

1.       A motion was made by Joshua Pearce and seconded by Ron Wilshire to approve the minutes of October 27, 2005 and November 22, 2005.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

2.       The minutes of the meeting of December 15, 2005 were reviewed and a call for  additions or corrections made.  Clare Heidler indicated that in relation to Item No. 4 under Old Business, Demolition of Buildings, Ballentine Hall was not included on the list of buildings for the January Board of Governors meeting and this item should be revised to read:

 

·         Ballentine Hall will be included on a list of buildings to be demolished as an agenda item for a future meeting of the Board of Governors.

 

3.       Jack Hubauer made a motion that the minutes of December 15, 2006 be approved as amended, the motion was seconded by  Dave Tomeo and passed unanimously.

 

4.   Lou Tripodi called for additions to the agenda.  One item was added under New Business:  Solar Tracker

 

II.         Old Business

 

1.  Venango Projects

 

·        Pond:  The town of Oil City has included repair of the pond as part of a grant they seeking.

·        Rhoades:  The initial job conference has been held and work will be commencing on that project.

·        Suhr Windows:  The contracts for the project are in the process of being signed.

·        Stairs:  The possibility of including construction of the stairs as part of the work to be completed by the contractor who is working on Phase 2 of the apartment buildings is being explored.  The crosswalk has been approved by Penndot.

 

2.     Science Technology Center

 

·        Drawings were submitted on February 15^th to estimators for the architect and an independent firm engaged by the University.

·        Final design is to be delivered to DGS by March 15.

·        An independent firm will review these plans to assure that the drawings and written specifications are properly coordinated and compatible.  This project includes 325 drawings and a check like this is essential.  The same type review was done for the library and recreation center projects.

·        With the present schedule it is expected that construction will occur in late fall.  The project is presently 5 months behind the original schedule, about the same delay experienced in the library project.

 

4.       One Stop Shopping

 

·        Dave Tomeo indicated that a group had met as a first time attempt to get discussions started on the concept and to look at various ideas and models. 

·        Methods for securing input from students on their needs were discussed.

·        A virtual one stop shopping web site developed by Western Carolina University was reviewed.  This may be something the University should explore for use until actual physical moves of personnel are possible since Becht is not expected to be scheduled for renovations until 2011.

 

            5.     Energy Conference

 

·        The conference has been scheduled for Saturday, April 8.

·         John Boecker from L. Robert Kimball & Associates has been engaged as the keynote speaker funded by a science department grant.

·        There will be a general session and several break-out meetings for more detailed discussion for particular subjects.

·        Vendors will be setting up displays

·        Content to be aimed more toward corporate/industrial entities rather than residential issues.

 

III.       New Business

 

1.         Parking

 

·        Dave Tedjeske via a Power Point presentation provided the committee with background information on a study conducted to develop a parking redistribution plan in relation to the closing of the Science Center lot next fall.  A mathematics student, Amy Happoldt, gathered pertinent data and in conjunction with Public Safety developed the plan.  Key points considered included:

 

Ø      Construction of new Science Technology Center will permanently eliminate 135 parking spaces.

Ø      The plan was developed with the following priorities in mind:

1.      Treat employees and commuter students equally according to their needs.

2.      Minimize the number of students who are forced to park at the stadium. 

3.      Avoid assigning commuter students to small lots.

 

Ø      Lots were checked during peak hours to determine the parking needs of each group (commuters, residents, employees).  

Ø      Ralston will be going off line next year, which affects the distribution of spaces between commuters and employees.

Ø      Factoring in the closing of Ralston as a residence hall, lots assignments were adjusted so that there should be enough parking for employees, commuter students, and resident students.

Ø      Residence Hall students face the largest reduction in parking, going from 367 spaces to 271 spaces, a reduction of 96 spaces.

Ø      Despite there being enough parking for employees, commuters, and residents, the elimination of the Peirce Lot without any replacement parking will result in little, if any, space for visiting groups, meetings, conferences, and large athletic events that are scheduled during the week when classes are in session. 

Ø      The plan was reviewed and endorsed by the Parking Committee

 

·        A campus map was distributed which illustrated new proposed lot assignments.  The lot behind Campbell and the lot next to Lot H near Carrier will be new employee lots.

 

·        The committee had the following comments:

 

Ø      Part of the Peirce lot has always been used for handicapped parking for events in Tippin.  How will this need be addressed?

Ø      Could a lot be constructed in lots behind Advancement Building when that house is demolished?  The zoning on South side of Corbett is residential and it is doubtful that the Borough would approve a variance for a parking lot since they have zoned the North side of Corbett as institutional and we could install a lot in that area.

 

·        A following motion was made by Clare Heidler and seconded by Mike McConnell:  the Facilities Planning Committee recommends approval of the plan for redistribution of lot assignments due to closing of the Peirce Science Center lot as submitted. The motion passed unanimously.

 

·        Discussion was introduced regarding the possibility of converting the use of the basketball courts, volley ball court and hockey rink at the end of the Carrier lot to parking.  Since two areas are already paved and the other area, volley ball court, could easily be tarred and chipped, the cost would be low, approximately $15,000, to acquire 130 spaces.  The plan has been discussed with Student Affairs personnel and it was felt the loss of the recreational use would not be a problem if the basket ball courts could be retained by moving them to the back of the hockey rink area. 

 

Ø      When a suggestion was made to use these areas for parking a few years ago, the idea was vetoed because of intramural use of the areas.  This is not as vital now with courts being available in the new rec center.

Ø      A suggestion was made that a gravel parking lot could be constructed in the Ralston flats area which would be more convenient for the other side of campus.  This would be problematic since that area is being considered as a staging area for both the Science Technology project and the new dining hall.

 

·        As an amendment to the previous motion, a motion was made by Ron Wilshire and seconded by Dave Tomeo to indicate that the Facilities Planning Committee has serious concerns in relation to parking for special events and would urge the President’s Executive Council to consider use of existing University property including the property on Corbett Street to provide additional property.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

2.         Capital Project Request

 

·     Clare Heidler distributed the Capital Project List to be submitted to the System the first of April.  These are the same projects submitted in past years but monetary amounts have been increased to reflect escalating construction costs.  Becht Hall remains the first on the list.

 

3.         Solar Tracking

 

·        Joshua Pearce announced that a grant of $15,000 had been received to install a free standing solar array that would track the sun to get maximum use of energy.  It is expected that the unit will be installed this semester.  This is an educational grant and students will be trained to collect data in relation to the energy generated.  The unit is expected to provide sufficient energy to support a small building and plans are to locate it next to Public Safety.  Although the unit could be a target of vandalism, it needs to be accessible for students to observe how the unit operates and in particular the mechanism that converts the DC current to AC for us in the building.

                                                                     

 

The next meeting is scheduled for March 23.  The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.