Special Board Minutes

March 5, 2020

The Board of Education of Independent School District #238 met on Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 6:00 pm in the Media Center.

Members present Adkins, Livingood, Miller, Wilder, Marquardt (via visual and audible technology), Tollefsrud at 6:20 and Supt. Kuphal. 

Absent:  Weidemann

Also present:  Lonnie Morken, Neil Folstad, Lori Schutte, Rich Wicks and Lissa Blake.

The meeting was called to order by Chair, Cristal Adkins at 6:04 pm.

The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Motion by Miller, second by Wilder and carried unanimously, to approve the Agenda Changes/Additions..

Items for Action and/or Discussion

      A..  Motion by Marquardt, second by Livingood and carried unanimously to approve the Community Survey and potential Bond Referendum as follows:

The special board meeting was called to provide updated information on the comprehensive facility analysis which was completed on February 28, 2020.  Superintendent Kuphal began the meeting by providing details on the final list and estimates surrounding the costs of improvements needed to repair and update the Mabel-Canton school.

Mr. Kuphal explained the committee had been looking at two areas: capital outlay and long-term facility maintenance.  After many discussions, the committee determined the school has a number of significant needs large enough that the District does not have the money to either fund them with a “pay-as-you-go” basis.

The board previously approved having a comprehensive facility analysis done by Wendel Companies of Minneapolis.  Architect Jim Wilson coordinated the analysis.

Options:  Kuphal presented an analysis of perceived facility needs, broken down into categories with costs associated with each.  The base project, estimated at just over $5.7 million, includes a number of items the committee and architect feel are necessary upgrades for the school.

Toilet Upgrades:  There are five toilet upgrades, including two in the 1935 part of the building, first floor staff toilets (which would be combined into a single ADA-accessible toilet) and two toilets near the gym.  Construction is estimated at $300,000 with a 25 percent contingency of $75,000, for a total of $375,000  ( the actual contingency may be more like 10 percent, but they want to allow for the worst-case scenario.) 

Mechanical System:  Mechanical system upgrades would include keeping existing boilers and providing a steam/hot water heat exchanger and new piping.  This also would include converting the existing steam piping to hot water.  Total cost of this portion would be $850,000.

Other improvements would include replacing several rooftop units used for heating and cooling the building, adding air conditioning throughout the building and providing a new direct digital control system, which would allow control of specific zones for heating and cooling the building.

Kuphal said he had discussions with Winona Heat and Vent representatives about the possibility of replacing the building’s  20-year-old boilers, but their opinion was the old boilers are likely better quality than what could be purchased today, and that they should be maintained.

The cost for this portion of the HVAC upgrades would be around $2.7 million, bringing the total mechanical improvements to $3.55 million.

Deferred Maintenance:  This needs to include replacing the 1914 roof, restoring the science/ag roof, restoring the hall roof, replacing the 1999 roof and replacing miscellaneous roofs at the juncture of the 1935 and 1914 roofs, for a total of $523,250.

It would be replacing 55 percent of our roofs and would take care of our most urgent needs.  The rest we can hold off on.

In addition, the architect recommended replacing all windows in the school and doing a fair amount of masonry restoration and caulking on the exterior, for a total of $600,750.

Other key items include replacing the gym floor.  While the new floor would only cost $100,100, asbestos abatement involved with removing the old floor would run $115,500.

The original bleachers would be replaced and the stage and concession areas would be remodeled, for a total gym cost $660.500.

Base Project:  The aforementioned items are included in what the architect called the base project, which would cost a total of $5,720,250.

Program Upgrades: In addition to the $5.72 million base project cost, the committee and architects discussed a number of other needs, and the consultant assigned a cost to each of them.

Remodels to the wood shop, metal shop and a career and technical education addition (including filling in the courtyard), would run $2.1 million.  The science lab, which hasn’t been modified since 1976, would cost an additional $367,500.

Improvements to the media center and high school resource areas would run $395,000.

A locker room remodel would run $500,000 and a fitness room addition would cost $560,000.

Other interior upgrades, including new lighting, acoustic ceilings, flooring and additional outlets would cost $324,750.

Adding new playground equipment to what’s already there would cost another $75,000.

The total cost of the base project and the add-ons would run just over $10.04 million.

Average Cost:  Included as part of a community survey, which was approved by the board and will be mailed out to district residents in the near future, will be different cost scenarios, based on a property’s estimated market value.

For an $80,000 residential homestead, the $5.7 million base plan would cost the owner $47 per year, $7 million would translate to $59 per year, $8.5 million would cost $71 and the entire $10.5 million (if you do all proposed renovations and improvements) would cost $83 per year.

Clarification:  If the survey results indicate support from the community, voters could head to the poll as soon as August 11th or November 3rd to decide on the bond referendum.

By November of 2021, voters will be asked to renew the 2011 operating levy, which designates $803.10 per pupil to be used for daily operations of the district.  

In 2025, district residents will be asked to renew the 2016 levy of $409.60 per pupil,which was added to account for inflation and increased costs.

Final survey results will be reported at the board meeting in April and will also be available on the district website at www.mabelcanton.k12.mn.us.

Motion by Marquardt, second by Livingood and carried unanimously, to approve a target date of March 25, 2020 for the community survey to be given to every household in the district with a closing date of April 17, 2020.

Motion by Livingood, second by Wilder and carried unanimously to adjourn at 7:10 pm.

Traci Livingood, Clerk__________________________________