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Mt. Pleasant schools continue IW purchasing process
District plans repairs to IW properties like chapel
MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant Community School District Superintendent John Henriksen shared updates on the progress of purchasing the Iowa Wesleyan property at Monday’s school board meeting.
“The attorneys are still working through title language that is acceptable,” Henriksen shared.
Over the summer MPCSD began the exploration of purchasing practice fields and central campus buildings on the former university campus.
By August the board approved moving forward with purchase agreements totaling $1.25 million.
After purchasing the practice fields in October, they continued toward purchasing a five-parcel lot of central campus including the Howe Activity Center, the Howe Student Union, the P.E.O building, the chapel, Old Main, and Pioneer Hall and the parking lot south of the activity center.
Following due diligence competition that revealed mostly sturdy buildings in need of repairs, the school board continued toward the goal of their purchase.
As soon as the purchase officially closes, Henriksen informed the board, work will begin.
“I did want to make you aware, as I made the site committee aware, we received approval from the area education agency that when we are the owners we have a certificate of approval to go ahead and do repairs in the chapel without having to go through the timelines of the competitive bid process,” Henriksen said.
According to the due diligence report delivered to the board last month, the chapel will need work done for a broken truss, roof fascia, soffit, gutters, and downspouts.
“Carl A. Nelson Construction company will be ready to jump into that work,” Henrikson said.
According to Henriksen, the truss work will be completed as soon as possible once the district takes ownership.
“Estimated cost is between $75,000 and $125,000,” Henriksen said.
Additionally, Henriksen informed the board that Pearl Street, which technically runs through campus, though it is no longer used, has officially been vacated by the City of Mt. Pleasant.
As the district gets closer to owning this new property, Henriksen told the board that they will need to work with a new insurance company as the one currently used for the district is uninterested in insuring the currently vacated properties.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
