ROCK SPRINGS – With several Sweetwater County School District No. 1 construction projects moving forward there has been one that has been under the radar. At the Monday meeting, an update on the new school at Farson-Eden was given to the board.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Jeannie Richey asked about the progress of the new Farson-Eden School. Board member and Farson Representative Lenny Hay said he did not know specifics but said it is moving in a positive direction.

During his facility update Building and Maintenance Director Dan Selleroli gave a brief update on where they are in the process. He said they are at the 95 percent mark but the issue that has stalled the project is with the water system specifically the fire suppression system.

He said they have been working with the contractors, State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Sweetwater County  engineering staff. He said while one side is saying the fire suppression system is adequate, the county staff does not think it is.

Earlier, the project stalled because of sewer issues which had to be worked out. With all the issues, Selleroli said the project is about $2 million over budget but stressed to the board this is relatively low considering everything going on with the project. The money for the project comes from the Wyoming School Facilities Commission.

Selleroli said everyone involved is scheduled to meet on Jan. 20 to try to get the issues worked out and get everyone back on the same page so they can start moving forward again on the project.

Stagecoach Elementary

Selleroli also updated the progress of Stagecoach Elementary. He said former school district Building and Maintenance Director Curt Barker has been very helpful with the project and has been on site making sure everything is being done correctly.

The board was informed about the outside of the building as Selleroli said it is about two-thirds up. However, Selleroli explained the workers at the school needed to be moving much faster so those in charge of the inside construction of the building can get going. He told the board he is scheduled to meet with the contractors soon.

With as nice as the weather has been, Selleroli said they should be working six days a week to get this done. He added those working on the building need to get on it because they should be much further along than they are.

RSHS Pool

At the last board meeting there was a discussion on the pool at the Rock Springs High School. Selleroli said there is a rumor running around they are going to expand the pool. He said while they will look at that option he did not think it was feasible. Selleroli said in his opinion there was not enough room for it and, if they were to expand it, it would take too much away from the structure which would put the structure’s stability into question.

There was talk about what it would take to build a new aquatic center at the last meeting. On Monday, Selleroli said if the board wanted to look at widening the current pool he would suggest that they just build a new aquatic center.

He was quick to remind the board building a new center would cost at a minimum of six to nine million dollars while the planned renovations would be around $700,000. The money to build a new pool would have to come from the district because pool construction does not meet the requirements for funding from the state’s School Facility Commission. Selleroli also told the board if they built an aquatic center they would need to figure in the cost of maintenance and who would be in charge of maintaining the pool.

“Ask anyone involved with pools and they will tell you pools are a money pit,” Selleroli stressed to the board.

The planned renovation includes a new gutter system and a new liner designed and engineered specifically for the pool at RSHS. It would also include a new chlorination system, a new auto fill system, automatic pool covers, a new heating system, an upgrade to the filtration system and a new ceiling and new lighting.

Selleroli said this is the first phase which will run through April to August. He said his goal is to have the first phase done by the time the fall swimming season which starts in August.

The second phase includes a complete remodel of the locker rooms and Selleroli said it would make the locker rooms “second to none.” This phase would start in the summer of 2016.