JEFFERSON TWP — The South Butler School Board has a lot to think about after a feasibility study presentation Tuesday night.

Seven board members, school officials and a few members of the community heard Terry Thompson of The Foreman Group list the results of a districtwide study his firm completed and the recommendations and potential costs associated with his findings.

Thompson said he used former construction options his firm had created for the district beginning in 2008 and added features requested by current school officials to create preliminary recommendations for renovations and upgrades.

He said one factor in estimating costs for renovations or new construction is the 15 percent inflation rate created last year by new federal tariffs, which drove up construction prices. The normal rate of inflation is 4 percent per year, he said.

Regarding the intermediate high school, Thompson recommended a new roof, windows, doors, exiting and accessibility upgrades, changing from movable to solid walls, a new heating and air conditioning system, plumbing, wiring and other projects. The estimate is $9.8 million to $12 million.

Stand-alone projects at the intermediate high school include window and door replacement at $725,000 to $825,000; electrical system upgrades at $1.5 million to $1.7 million and heating and air conditioning upgrades at $1.2 million to $1.3 million.

Thompson told the board the high school, which was built in 1956, can be rebuilt on campus at an estimated cost of $47.2 million to $57.7 million.

He gave two options for renovations that included flipping the auditorium bleachers to the entry side, renovating the administration offices for enhanced student security, moving the cafeteria and kitchens and other projects at a cost of $9.4 million to $44 million depending on the options chosen.

Thompson said the school board should work with its bond counsel consultants and come up with an amount they want to spend on renovations, then Foreman would work with district officials to complete the most necessary projects for that amount.

Superintendent David Foley shared his security concerns regarding some of the options Thompson presented, like a glass-walled cafeteria in the front of the high school or adding a second floor from which students could not exit in an emergency.

“We've had some difficult challenges this year concerning safety,” Foley said.

Board member George Zacherl lamented the fact that the district commissioned an $80,000 master plan from Foreman in 2013 and no renovations were made.

Donna Eakin, school board president, said she is concerned with the lack of improvements in learning areas in the recommendations.

Thompson replied that no requests along that line have been made by the district in the past 10 years.

Board member Jackie Pfeiffer expressed concern about predicting technological needs in the next 20 years.

“It's trying to envision the future without being in the future,” she said.

The residents in attendance said they had their eyes opened to the many needs in the district.

Trisha Bogan said she was impressed with the thorough study presented by Thompson.

“Something needs to be done,” Bogan said. “We need to stop kicking the can down the road and do something.”

Tim Danehy was concerned with the lack of focus on educational spaces in the study, which he called concise, yet thorough.

“It was very eye-opening,” he said.

Foley said the results of an enrollment study will be presented at the June board meeting, which will be another factor in the decision on renovations.

Thompson advised the board and administration not to be shocked by the numbers included in the study, as they could change.

“You've got a long way to go,” he said.