W-MU seeks guidance on future building projects

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

WINFIELD ? There?s no question in the minds of the members of the Winfield-Mt. Union School Board that building improvements need to happen. The question is, what to do first?

A new heating and air conditioning system, and building additions so portable classrooms will no longer be needed, top the list of possible improvements the board suggested during their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday.

?One comment that keeps coming up has to do with the elementary being in the basement and those rooms tend to be a little bit damp. So they (teachers) have dehumidifiers that have to be plugged in to keep the mold at bay,? said Elementary Principal Gabe Wylder.

High School Principal Dave Edwards stated that a new HVAC system would probably take care of that problem.

Additional areas of concern were enlarging the cafeteria and music rooms, and updating the electrical and communication systems.

These were all items that were indicated as priorities on an assessment done by Shive-Hattery Architecture Engineering Consulting Firm in 2011.

Maeder said that since the assessment, he feels the industrial technology classes have really taken off and could use more space as well.

?To me, that whole sort of back side of school ? the choir and band rooms, shop, high school locker rooms, weight room ? could all use a re-do at this point,? commented Edwards.

But still, the question lingered, what first?

?One thing I think we need to do is get the community?s input,? said Superintendent Jeff Maeder.

Board member Stacey Buffington added she thought it would be important to also get input from teachers and staff, as they work in the building every day. ?I?m interested to see what their thoughts were about what they think needs (to be done),? she said. ?They?re here every day, they work in it. I only come to the lunch room or gym.?

Business Manager Carmen Benson said the district has been talking about this for a long time and the school may already have surveys from those stakeholder groups, although they would need to be updated.

Board member Jay Nelson said he felt the board had ?a pretty aggressive? list of projects and he, too, felt it is time to get the stakeholders involved.

?It feels to me we?re at a point where we need to bring in stakeholders and people to guide us, have some kind of work session and arrive at some kind of priority because 10 years from now, I don?t want to be talking about this still,? said Nelson.

Maeder echoed Nelson and said he felt the next step, even before reaching out to the community, would be speaking to different firms that could help navigate this new territory. ?The huge challenge here, I know several of you have mentioned this,? Maeder said, addressing the board members, ?is what are we going to do with the classrooms while we?re building them. I think we need outside help even for that.?

Maeder said a whole host of architecture and construction firms have reached out to him to consult, and maybe eventually help design the projects.

The school board agreed to reach out to Shive-Hattery; Baker Group, out of Des Moines; and Estes Construction, of Davenport, to see what services they offer and what guidance they might give. The board is hoping to meet with representatives of the three firms during a work session to be scheduled in January.

The board also considered a snow removal bid from Hedge Above LLC.

The bid was estimated on how much time it would take to clear the parking lot after a three to four inch snowfall and came in around $235, including snow melt.

Currently, custodian Terry Crawford takes care of the snow removal.

Buffington questioned if there had been issues with district staff not being able to handle snow removal. When she was told no, she responded, ?I?m putting this under the ?if it ain?t broke, don?t fix it? category.?

The rest of the board agreed and decided to continue having staff remove the snow.

In other business, the board:

? Approved the School Budget Review Committee application for modified allowable growth for open enrollment out and Limited English Proficiency instruction.

? Selected Jim Hussey, Mid-Prairie Community School District, as the Iowa School Board District 9 delegate.

? Approved a student expulsion.

The school board will meet next on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m., in the media center.