by Jim Boyle
Editor
Now that dust has settled from a wave of ceremonial groundbreakings, the Elk River Area School Board learned of developing building program initiatives vying for anticipated fund balances from a welcome bidding climate.
The Elk River Area School District has estimated there will be as much $8 million left when all the projects from a $98 million bond referendum are completed, thanks to the tremendous bids the district received, according to District 728 Superintendent Mark Bezek.
Commissioning is the first one Bezek presented to board members on May 9 at a regular meeting of the group at Elk River City Hall. Such an endeavor would take the estimated fund balance down to $6.5 million, Bezek said.
District administrators planned and had money earmarked to do commissioning for the new additions and new buildings that are part of building program. Now, they’re looking at commissioning entire schools where the work is being done “to ensure we getting the most bang for our buck,” Bezek said.
Commissioning is a process of testing mechanical systems to make sure they are performing as they are designed to perform. The district has had experience with systems being installed in the past and not living up to expectations. Such was the case with Rogers High School, built more than a decade ago.
“There are substantial dollar savings to be had,” said Greg Hein, the executive director of business services for the school district. “Plus, it will increase the consistency and comfort of all facilities.
Some of this work could also be paid for with other funds. But by using bond dollars, the district will conserve dollars to help with the commissioning of schools where projects are not happening now.
The school district already went through an request for proposals process, and it reviewed six proposals and interviewed people from three of them. Dunham was selected to do the commissioning of the new facilities and additions, and administrators would like the firm complete all of the commissioning.
The key, Bezek said, is bringing together all parties — the commissioning agents, construction team members, operators and energy management folks — to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Another piece being looked at is a high-tech automated sound shell system at a cost of $180,000 apiece for the auditoriums going up in Zimmerman and Rogers.
“In the past we have had to roll out, crank up and flip out these systems,” Bezek said, noting if these are installed in the high school auditoriums in the north and south, the same will be desired in the center of the district.
A third initiative is to create, as part of the expansion of the Elk River High School gymnasium and school, a fitness area to complement a weight room. The high school already has a weight room, but it would like to add cardiovascular equipment.
Bezek said he and Hein are meeting to ascertain what is being specifically proposed and what it would cost.
The Elk River Area School Board will talk more about the initiatives when it goes over its project cost estimates at an upcoming work session.
Bezek said the commissioning makes tremendous sense, and other initiatives might, too. But items like the commissioning, the sound system for the auditoriums and fitness equipment cost enough that they require the School Board to sign off.
“The (sound system) is nice and state of the art, yes,” Bezek said. “Do we have the money for it? That’s something you have to decide.”