At Monday night’s meeting, the Mineral Point School Board again continued with discussion surrounding the long-term facilities plan. (Scroll past the video for more article text)
Community members were invited to an open house in November for an opportunity to provide feedback. In addition, the video presented at the open house was placed online and feedback forms were available to fill out electronically.
These comments, along with feedback from staff from a climate survey in spring of 2016, were presented to the Board and Nexus for review.
Representatives from Nexus Solutions were on hand Monday night to narrow the scope of the many options available, based on the feedback from the community received. Hans Noel, Nexus engineer, stated they listened to the community and Board and only listed projects for the Board’s review Monday night that would fall under the state’s Revenue Limit Exemption, or a Capital project, that the Board could act on without needing a referendum.
Those projects include:
Middle/High School
Revenue Limit: Roofing upgrades, building envelope thru-wall flashings, building automation system upgrades, optimal control strategies, air conditioning expansion, technical education improvements including the recirculating dust collector, plumbing improvements including a water softener replacement, 1996 air handling unit refurbishment, HVAC systems re-commissioning, interior lighting upgrades, exterior lighting upgrades, electrical distribution upgrades.
Capital: Hardscapes upgrades including parking lot and driveway upgrades and athletic field drainage and concrete upgrades, secured entrance remodel within existing space.
Elementary School
Revenue Limit: Building automation system upgrade, 1992 IMC/classroom air handling unit replacement, 1966 air handling unit replacement, air conditioning addition, heating water system upgrades including boilers, 1966 exhaust fan replacement, plumbing upgrades including new water heater and softener, 1966 galvanized piping replacement, HVAC systems re-commissioning, interior lighting upgrades, exterior lighting upgrades, replace main electrical system, add three electrical outlets to each classroom.
Capital: Hardscapes upgrades including parking lot and play area asphalt replacement and drainage improvements, electrical distribution upgrades including emergency generator, fire alarm system upgrade to meet current code, security camera system upgrade, communication upgrade to include bell, PA, speaker, and clock system replacement, secured entrance remodel using the existing office area.
The total for the Revenue Limit Exemption Projects listed above would be $5,414,976. The total for the Capital Projects listed above would be $2,337,213.
In looking at financing, the general obligation bond would be for 20 years at an estimated interest rate of 3.0%.
For the tax impact, there would be a 0.98 increase in the mill rate, which would increase monthly taxes on a $100,00 home by $8.17 a month.
To reiterate, the Board could authorize these projects without seeking a referendum from voters.
Superintendent Luke Francois provided the Board with some recent history regarding funding and referendums in the district. Upon his arrival in 2011, the district was coming off a two year operational referendum. Act 10 had created a $400,000 per pupil state aid reduction, plus the referendum falling off which had brought in $600,000, equaled a $1 million structural deficit. The recurring referendum then backfilled the lost revenue and brought the district back to even with no additional monies coming in. The last debt payment on the middle/high school building was made at the end of 2012. He stated it’s been great the district has been able to implement energy efficiency projects through the revenue limit exemption, but that doesn’t address other deferred maintenance needs.
Nexus added that, while it doesn’t feel like it, summer is right around the corner in terms of getting bids out to contractors and setting up construction work. In addition, 82% of state school referendums passed in the November election so there is a high demand for contractors and costs will go up the longer projects are delayed.
The Board will continue to collect feedback from stakeholders in the coming month with Nexus returning before the Board in January for a possible final review and plan selection at that time. (Go to the 17 minute mark of the video)
Other business:
–Members of the Gridiron Club presented before the Board a donation in the amount of $17,000 to be used towards the Stadium Project. (This item begins the video)
–The credit card statement and bills payable were approved with Lisa Hay, Andy Busch, Larry Dolphin, and Larry Steffes voting yes; Glenn Kinch and Jeff Basting abstained; and Julie Stephenson was absent. (Go to the ten minute, 55 second mark of the video)
–The Board approved unanimously the addition of Advanced Placement US History and Advanced Placement Government to the high school course offerings. (Go to the two hour, 51 minute mark of the video)
–The Board discussed possible approval of a dust collector replacement for the tech ed department. Kyle Carey, tech ed teacher, and Roger Palzkill, maintenance director, were on hand to answer questions.
The dust collector currently used in the tech ed area is a single barrel unit, which exhausts all of its air into the atmosphere, without a filter component, sending dust into a secondary container. The unit has adequate airflow and pressure in a minority of vents causing the maintenance a nuisance of the unit. The unit also exhausts all treated air, so it is energy intensive to operate and requires all makeup air to be heated. The unit appears to have been relocated (in 1996) from the old high school, so it is well past its useful life. A new dust collector that includes a recirculating unit with filtration and double barrel arrangement, allows for more wood dust collection while providing energy savings from recirculating the air back in the building.
The existing rooftop unit serving the wood shop does not provide adequate heating and cooling and it appears as though the unit is intended for 100% outside air so it is undersized for that duty. It is recommended that the addition of a recirculating dust collector will allow for a properly sized rooftop unit that can incorporate return air and the unit will function better as a recirculating unit. The upgrade will improve indoor and outdoor environmental conditions and provide energy savings.
The dust collector replacement as a stand alone project was quoted at $62,000. The recirculating dust collection unit with filtration, double barrel arrangement, to include a rooftop unit replacement that provides energy savings is estimated to cost $310,413. The cost also includes radiant ceiling panels to room D108 to improve a traditionally cold room.
The District recommends bundling this project with other projects under a performance contract and amortizing the estimated full project cost of $310,413 over the next twenty years. The board could choose to use fund balance to fund this project as a second option.
Carey stated the air quality is very poor in his shop due to the fine dust when projects are going on. Palzkill added that the unit no longer meets code and no one wants to work on repairs of it for this reason.
The Board voted unanimously to table the item until the January meeting to obtain more information. (Go to the two hour, 15 minute, 30 second mark of the video)
–The Board held a first reading of the 2017-18 school calendar. It will be brought back to a later meeting for a vote. Several Board members discussed their desire to shorten or eliminate Spring Break, stating that families seem to pull their students out of school for a vacation whenever they desire. Other Board members stated they believe that staff value that spring break opportunity as a time to recharge. To view the draft calendar, visit: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=39790274
(Go to the two hour, 30 minute mark of the video)
–The administrative team reviewed the current student attendance policy and recommended the following to the Board for a first reading with a vote coming at a later date:
Draft policy: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=39769174
Draft rule: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=39769185
(Go to the two hour, 38 minute, 30 second mark of the video)
–In his Superintendent’s Report, Francois reminded those in attendance of the approaching school board election timeline deadlines. Incumbents whose seats are up for election are Jeff Basting and Glenn Kinch. They would need to file a declaration of non-candidacy no later than December 23. Any interested parties in running for school board must file candidacy no later than 5 pm January 3 in the district office. (Go to the two hour, 55 minute mark of the video)
–The next regularly scheduled board meeting is set for Monday, January 9 at 6:30 pm.