01.26.05
Board approves use of floor plans for find-raising effort
by Amanda Dumond of the Aroostook Republican

CARIBOU-- The Caribou High School Music Room project continues to make headway, with yet another phase of the planning process approved by the Board of Education last Wednesday.

Board members approved a measure on Jan. 19 that allows the fundraising committee--comprised primarily of past and present CHS students--to use floor plans and artistic renderings as fundraising tools.

While the project has recently gained its non-profit, tax exempt status and become its own entity outside the school department's bounds, each step of the project must still meet the approval of the board. The project detached itself from the school system in order to obtain grants and other monies.

"The next few months will be an exciting time of the year for the committee," Brandon Bouchard, fundraising committee chairman said.

Because of their recent designation as a non-profit organization, donations made in the past 15 months-- or all donations made so far--are still tax exempt.

Bouchard also pointed to the success of the project thus far, noting that most initiatives like the music room project die within the first few months.

"This was not the case at all with the project," he said. "Within the span of one year, this small group of students has transformed what once was a dream into a future reality, at a rate which would have the professionals baffled. The committee quadrupled in size...more than enough money was raised to hire an engineering firm and finalize plans for what will one day be a new music center... It is truly a tribute to the people working on this project and to our great community."

The board examined certain issues that would arise from the construction of the music room addition, including the need for expanded bathrooms and more parking spaces. The school system would be responsible for renovating the bathroom space, which would be located between the addition and the existing Caribou Performing Arts Center (CPAC) lobby.

Chair Dale Gordon pointed to a serious need for larger bathroom facilities, especially as the current facilities are already inadequate for the large numbers of people who attend CPAC events and basketball games.

"The bathrooms should be a priority as this goes on," she said, "and perhaps the cheapest way is to do it when the addition is being done."

The engineering firm who created the plans for the music room addition, Harriman Associates, was unable to properly evaluate the parking situation before the winter, but a tentative solution was proposed. Bouchard explained that, though the addition would take up an estimated 43 spots near the building, at least 70 extra spaces could be created on the grass strip near the ball fields and by utilizing the gravel drive near the ski building. [...]