JACKSON MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING UNDER STUDY

JACKSON -- The City of Jackson wants more details about how the Jackson R-2 School District will use the city's planned multipurpose building before proceeding toward a proposal to put before voters."We are at a crossroads needing to move one direction or the other," says Mayor Paul Sander.A committee formed by the city in February 1997 has produced a conceptual drawing of the facility, but its chairman, Dale Rauh, has asked the school board to provide more definite information about how the school plans to use the building before making a design recommendation.The facility plan includes a basketball arena with seating for 3,000 and two swimming pools, one for leisure and one for competitive swimming. Meeting rooms, weight rooms and a walking track also are to be incorporated.If the school doesn't plan to rent the basketball arena or the competitive pool, the city might want to scale back its plan, Sander said."We're looking for just an indication from their board of what their plans would be."The location of the facility has not been determined, in part because it would be placed near the school if the school was going to use it to a great extent. Otherwise, that proximity would not be a consideration.The design was formulated with the idea that the school would use the building to some extent, Sander said, but the city wants to know how much use would occur. Among the members of the multipurpose building committee are both school officials and members of the school board.Tom Ludwig, a lawyer who is on both the school board and the multipurpose building committee, said it is well known that the school district wants an improved basketball facility for its students. "Being able to have a multipurpose facility is certainly attractive to the district," he said. Whether that facility should be rented from the city appears to be in question. As a member of the building committee, Ludwig said he has no preference as to where the building is located."The question of location has not been answered," Sander said. "I don't know what involvement the schools want to have. If the schools want to be involved on a daily basis, we want it in closer proximity to the schools. If not, then it doesn't become as critical where it is placed."The school district has done some preliminary planning for the extraordinary growth the city is undergoing, said school superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson. The school will be able to give the city more details as that campus plan is developed."The need is to become more specific," Anderson said.Because of the district's growth of about 150 students a year over the past five or six years, the school's priorities are providing more space at the junior high school level and possibly building another elementary school, says school board president Dr. T. Wayne Lewis."We are actually doing some planning but sometimes it feels like putting out brush fires," he said.Lewis said the school would like to do something to work with the city, but the city's plans require 25 to 30 acres, which aren't available on the campus. The land may be available nearby, but Lewis said it's not clear whether the city facility could provide the daily availability the school would require of a gym.He said the board probably will look at that particular need again in the spring. "One thing they're trying to do is build a dream," Lewis said. "Then we have to see what is going to be a practical thing for the community." Members of the community and service groups have talked about the need for better facilities for intramural-type programs in the city for a number of years, Sander said. "We are far ahead in many areas but in providing those type services we are not as far ahead as other communities in the area," Sander said. In February 1998, the city formed a 66-person committee to formulate ideas about what should go into the building. The St. Louis firm of Hastings & Chivetta subsequently was hired to design a facility. After a "blue sky" $20 million proposal was presented, the committee asked the company to scale it back to the $11 million plan that would fit within the city's sales tax base. A performing arts center and other amenities were deleted. If the school decides not to use the building, Sander said the plan could be scaled back even further, or some of the elements deleted from the plan could be restored.The possibility of including a skating rink also could be considered, he said.But these are ifs dependent on the school's response. No time frame for providing that response has been given.Once the committee makes its recommendation it will be up to the Board of Aldermen whether to put the issue on the ballot."If we feel like it's not the correct time, the work we've done will always be usable at a later date," Sander said.

BUILDING TIMELINE

February 1997 -- Sixty-six people volunteer to serve on mulitpurpose building committee.

April 1998 -- Jackson Board of Aldermen authorizes St. Louis firm of Hastings & Chivetta to do feasibility study.

November 1998 -- Hastings & Chivetta is asked to scale back design from a $20 million building to an $11 million building.

November 1999 -- Multipurpose Building Committee, R-2 School District Board of Education and Jackson Board of Aldermen meet seeking information about how school expects to use building.