Work Session on Bond Referendum
Tue, 02/25/2025 - 1:13pm
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The Clearbrook-Gonvick School Board held a work session with ATSR representatives Sarah Fox and Blayne Parkos and by zoom with Preston Everly, with RA Norton Construction Managers.
The agenda was a discussion of the review of repairs and betterment, discuss classroom additions and courtyard.
The highest priority from the survey that had been sent out last year had fixing the roof as number one. That was followed by repairs to lavatories, doors, walls and sidewalks and the technology system.
This will cost about 3.7 million in the project.
The district received 249 responses from the survey. From that point the district brought together a community steering committee and other community meetings to come up with the right solutions for the district.
The HVAC system was taken out of their cost as that was being done this summer.
Lighting is an issue as the State of Minnesota has mandated the elimination of fluorescent lights. Minnesota's Clean Lighting bill bans the sale of fluorescent lamps starting in 2025 and 2026. They can be bought in other states but not Minnesota.
Board members wanted to see that jobs went to local people. Preston stated that the mechanical work would be given to the lowest qualified bidder.
Discussion was on the special education expansion and two added toilets on the east end. That was to alleviate the long distance that elementary students had as they were coming inside from the playground. The nearest ones were all the way down the hall.
The four classroom additions on the east end would have to relocate the Early Childhood playground. The consensus was to locate that to the courtyard between the two east wings of the building which is now a grassy area. Security doors would be put at two ends of the court yard on the east end. Cost to do that would be approximately $400,000 and as maintenance free as possible. It could also be used for an outdoor sitting area and a session out side for different classes. A question was asked if the old home ec area could then be used.
Approximate cost of the total project is about 34 million. 72 percent of the project will be Commercial and Industrial.
The rest of the cost to Ag Land and Buildings, State Aid and Residential Homestead Owners and others.
The next Session 2 was set for Wednesday, February 26 at 5:00 p.m. That topic will be to revisit the gym addition.
There would be two more sessions before the fifth one that included a Town Hall Review.
There were questions when the bond referendum could take place. Getting everything together would take awhile since they have sessions left to go through. It would probably be in November.
One board member stated that we are talking about a lot of money and they don't want to rush the project.