Structural analysis suggests $11.42M in school updates

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Mt. Pleasant could spend $11.42 million to update its school district facilities. It won?t.

The $11.42 million was the total cost figure presented by John Darvau of StuXture Architects, a Waterloo-based firm which was commissioned in September to do a total analysis of district facilities. The firm was paid $14,500 for the work, which was also to have included an analysis of the central office, athletic facilities and alternative high school. The report on the remaining three items is expected at a later date.

Monday night?s meeting only included presentation of the report. The report now will be forwarded to the strategic-planning committee and then to the school board?s site committee before it comes back to directors (probably next spring) with recommendations.

However, the report presented during a special meeting last night of school district directors included just an analysis of the district?s four elementary schools, middle school and high school.

Mt. Pleasant Middle School, which has had the most recent construction (renovation and addition), was the least expensive on the price list at $209,250. Updating costs on the other buildings were as follows: Van Allen Elementary, $2.7 million; Harlan Elementary, $3.05 million; Salem Elementary, $1.56 million; high school, $2.49 million.

Recommendations were both short- and long-term as the priority timeline given went from immediate to 10 years.

In its executive summary, StruXture commended the district for its well-maintained buildings.

?Generally, the Mt. Pleasant District buildings were found to be well-kept in good repair,? the report said. ?The elementary buildings each have areas in the older sections that need to be updated and made ADA compliant.

?Mechanical systems in the elementary buildings do not consistently provide required natural ventilation and none providing air conditioning outside of administrative areas. This report finds that these two areas are those most urgent of the needs to be addressed.?

Continuing, the report said roof repair is needed at all of the buildings and tuckpointing at most of the facilities. ?Ongoing maintenance items at all of the buildings should be addressed, with some buildings having more need than others. Roofing leaks were common throughout the buildings and should be completed as soon as possible to avoid potential damage to other areas.?

The report also recommended the addition of security vestibules to all the buildings with the exception of the middle school which already has one.

Finally, the summary said all the buildings include good teaching environments ?though none, except the middle school, provide flexible learning areas. Many of the buildings use the corridors to do individual learning, which creates congestion in the corridors, and potentially unsafe egress in case of the emergency.?

School board members said the suggested updating needs prioritizing and future school census will also be a key consideration.

?This is the first time we have had a district-wide assessment,? noted board member Ken Feldmann. ?I want to know which are the most immediate issues and then go from there. We need to know where we are gong to be in 10 years (enrollment) before we start going.?

Directors were also concerned with the roof leaks since most if not all the roofs on the attendance centers are still under warranty. ?Why haven?t we done something? If there are leaks, why don?t we have them fixed??

?People have to get up there and honor their warranties,? Superintendent of Schools Mike Wells added.

Feldmann said strategic planning will play an important part in the final decision. ?We need to look at this in light of the strategic plan,? he said. ?What is the school district going to look like in 15-20 years? The State of Iowa could end up with one school district in each county and we could be it.?

Wells said that the board will also have to consider whether it wants to retain all of its attendance centers, using Salem as an example. ?Salem is one of the first conversations we will have,? he noted. ?Does it stay a school and if it does, it has to be brought up to other schools. We have to go ahead with the assumption we retain all of our buildings.?

In addition to the aforementioned updating needs, most of the buildings also need replacement of windows and doors, electrical and lighting updates. There are also handicap accessible issues at all of the older schools although they would be grandfathered in barring major reconstruction.

Wells said other updates not included in the report will surface. ?There is a lot of support on the strategic planning committee for a fine-arts addition to the high school which would cost around $7 million. Technology is not even addressed in here and we have a huge infrastructure issue with our technology.?

And then there is the central office. The district?s lease on its current quarters in the former high school is expiring soon and the city (owners of the building) have said the rent will increase substantially. The rent increase has directors looking at other options. Wells said last night that there would be room at Van Allen for the central office.

The report is expected to be discussed again at the board?s regular monthly meeting Dec. 9.

?We can?t get too hung up on the numbers?I think it is a good start,? concluded board member Lyle Murray, referring to the analysis.