By Jolene Farley
The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board voted 4-2 Monday to allow voters to decide whether to build new locker rooms and a fitness facility at the high school.
If passed at the Tuesday, March 11, vote the proposed $400,000 levy would increase taxes by $.35 cents per acre per year on agricultural land and $5 on homes with a market value of $40,000, according to estimates by Superintendent Dave Deragisch.
Initial construction cost estimates for the project, without a weight room, range from $398,144 to $439,552.
A weight room would add $113,302 to $127,512 to the cost of the project.
The board initially discussed 900 square feet of space for each locker room, but the Minnesota Department of Children Families and Learning and Title 9 requirements dictate a minimum of 1,500 square feet of space for each locker room and equal space for girls’ and boys’ locker rooms.
If building costs are less than $500,000, the board isn’t required to follow CFL guidelines. But if a new high school or any other project is planned for the future, CFL could require the district to bring all previous construction, including the locker rooms, up to code.
All postal patrons in the district received a survey from the board asking if they supported the project. The survey detailed the tax implications if the proposed levy passed.
As of Friday, 409 (65 percent) of those surveyed wanted to move ahead with the project, while 142 (35 percent) didn’t want to build the locker rooms.
"What I’ve read from the surveys that have been returned, it sounds like the public is very much in favor of this project," said Deragisch.
Board members Gary Esselink and Tim Baker cast the dissenting votes on Monday.
"I look at this from where we started, and I’m wondering, how did we get so high?" said board member Gary Esselink.
"We’re basing it (the added cost) on the premise, we might build something new, but I would rather build according to our needs. Am I against locker rooms, no, do we need them this big, no."
Board member Ann Boeve voted in favor of the project. "I feel we have to abide by the state guidelines," she said.
She added she would hate to have to ask voters for funds to bring the locker rooms up to code in a few years if a new school was built.
"I feel that the public has given us the opportunity," said Boeve after making a motion to accept the resolution. "Let’s bring it to the people to vote."
The board will set dates for informational meetings and tours of the current locker room facilities at their next meeting.
Group II Architects
After some discussion on whether to obtain bids from other firms, the board voted unanimously to retain Group II Architects, Sioux Falls, the firm that drew the initial plans for the project.
"They really worked with us," Boeve said. "They listen to what we say."
Group II submitted a bid of $36,500 or 7.5 percent of the project cost, not including miscellaneous expenses such as phone calls, mileage, and the printing of documents.
Miscellaneous expenses are expected to add an additional $2,500 to the cost of the job.
Deragisch contacted the Department of Children, Families and Learning for a reference on the firm.
He also contacted contractors and was told the majority of architecture firms would charge 10 to 12 percent as their fee and some possibly wouldn’t even take the job because another firm began the work.
Group II agreed that if the bond issue didn’t pass, the school would be billed only $10,500 for the work completed up to that point.
The board hopes starting preliminary work before the vote will allow the project to be completed by September.
If the bond issue passes, bids could be opened as early as April 1.