With questions about costs and some aspects of construction still unanswered, the Perry School Board Monday chose to delay bringing a potential $6 million bond issue before the public until early next year.
The board held a work session to further discuss a potential petition and ballot language for a special election, which they originally hoped to bring before voters Dec. 11. The issue will now wait until at least February while the board continues to look for ways to maximize impact while controlling costs.
Similar concerns were evident at the Oct. 8 meeting of the board, where questions were raised concerning issues such as aesthetics, roofing and interior space usage. Costs were also uncertain, with the board looking for ways to reduce an overall tab now estimated at just over $6 million.
The money would be used to build a 14,786-square-foot addition to the industrial and technology areas and a 10,141-square-foot addition to house a new wrestling room, along with locker rooms and restrooms.
Both additions would be constructed on the east side of the senior high school with 400-square-foot entrance areas. Plans currently call for 15-foot ceilings in the technology area, with eight automobile stalls and four lifts, with the wrestling addition to include an office and storage areas. A new restroom would be installed near the technology area, where a classroom currently exists.
The additions would also require some outside paving and storm water work. Construction is estimated to take about one year.
The complexity of the matter led to Monday’s work session, when the board heard form Dan Culp of Carl A. Nelson and Co. Culp made a presentation to the board about the value of hiring a construction manager for the project and provided a list of references for his company’s work with a variety of school districts.
Culp said a construction manager would help control costs and assure work progressed on schedule. The cost of employing a construction manager, estimated at $800,000, would be part of the $6 million bond issue and not in addition to it.
With some details still to finalize and with a desire to see where costs could possibly be lowered, the board chose to postpone action on a petition and ballot language and continue studying the matter, with a provisional February target for seeking voter approval.
The Perry School Board meets the second Monday of each month in the Brady Library at Perry High School at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend any meeting.
