Elementary Prototype Workshop Minutes

Tuesday, February 21, 2006 – 6:00 p.m.

School Board Meeting Room

Stuart, FL  34994

 

Members Present

Laurie Gaylord-Vice-Chair

Dr. David Anderson

Susan Hershey

Nancy Kline

Dr. Sara A. Wilcox, Superintendent

Tom Elfers, School Board Attorney

 

Members Absent

Lorie Shekailo-Chair

Kristin Conrad, Student Representative (JBHS)

 

Staff Present

Hank Salzler, Dr. Frank Raffone, Ruth Pietruszewski, Darla Miloszewski, Rodger Osborne, Cathleen Brennan, Darrell Miller, Cathy Brennan, Ray Parrish, Pat Schmoyer, Nancy Marin, Debbie Henderson, Tyson Vilwock, Delores Calloway, Julie Sessa, Garrett Grabowski

 

Public

 

Press                PBPost – Mike Bender                           Stuart News – Kelly Tyko

                       

 

MCEA – No representation                   AFSCME – No representation

 

Call to order by the Vice-Chairman and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States

 

1.          Open to the Public     

§         No representation

 

2.         Discussion of Proposed New Elementary School

Rodger Osborne stated that he was presenting this information to prepare the Board to make future recommendations.  The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity to discuss options and preferences for the next elementary school to be constructed in Martin County.  Three elementary schools had recently been constructed in Martin County, Port Salerno Elementary, Hobe Sound Elementary, and J.D. Parker Elementary.  Rodger presented the Martin County design standards; 750 student design capacity, two story building, metal roof, and brick on block construction. He showed other designs and discussed architectural style options to see if there was anything the Board or district would want to change. He explained the different project delivery methods:

He discussed the options available to choose the design selection; committee, Board, combination, or other. Rodger discussed construction cost; GMP or Bid.  He discussed project cost; fees, construction cost, and furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF & E).

 

3.         Open to the Board

 Nancy Kline

Asked Rodger Osborne, Director of Operational Services, if the district was currently using Construction Management at Risk (CMR) as the project delivery method.

 

Rodger Osborne

            Answered yes.  He felt that CMR was one of the better project delivery methods.

 

3.         Open to the Board (Con’t)

Nancy Kline

            Asked if the district picked a profit percentage.

 

Rodger Osborne

            Said he would like to see the delivery cost at 12%, and usually the overhead and profit came in at 5%.

 

Nancy Kline

            Asked if the district could determine general conditions.

 

Rodger Osborne

            Answered yes, continuing to say that the district negotiates what they can.

 

Nancy Kline

Questioned how we obtained insurance.  She had been informed that larger districts purchase insurance and then charge it back to the contractor, saving money, since the insurance is cheaper through a district than through a contractor.  She asked if that would be an option.

 

Rodger Osborne

            Answered that it was an option.  He stated that Julie Sessa, Director of Facilities, was looking into that idea to

            check the feasibility.   

 

Nancy Kline

            Expressed her concern about overlapping bond payments. She asked Rodger what attributed to the two

            million dollar cost difference between Hobe Sound Elementary and J.D. Parker.   

 

Rodger Osborne

            Answered that lessons had been learned on design.  The two million cost difference was caused by a few

factors, such as, the additional cost in steel, a difference in the square footage, a difference in the height, and one school was hardened for hurricanes. 

 

Nancy Kline

            Stated it would be prudent for the Board and district to look at schools that had been built and see what

            worked and what didn’t work.

 

Dr. David Anderson

            Reflected back in time with Rodger remembering when he was stuck on using hard bids for construction

projects.  He stated that in the past he was against using CMR, but now he was comfortable with this delivery method.

 

Rodger Osborne

Stated that he was comfortable with the CMR delivery method.  He told Board members that prices were still rising.

 

Sue Hershey

            Saw no reason to deviate from the CMR delivery method.  She invited architects to submit proposals.  She

            felt construction design should continue with the sloped metal roof.

 

Nancy Kline

            Felt it was valuable to have input from staff and a committee.

 

Laurie Gaylord

Stated she favored the brick and metal construction, and she liked the look of MCSD’s schools with the brick and the metal roof.  Laurie felt we used a good design and would like to stay on the same path.

 

Dr. David Anderson

Stated that we had a lot of experienced staff that could bring a lot of feedback to a committee to improve or give any analysis on construction issues.

 

Dr. Sara A. Wilcox

Was interested in Nancy Kline’s comments regarding districts that had a fixed number for overhead and profit. She said we could take a survey to get more information.  She stated that timing is critical on construction projects. If the district is not pushed for time, it can say no thank you if there is a problem and can move on to the next contractor. She stated that the next new school will be built at Tuscawilla.

 

 

 

 

3.         Open to the Board (Con’t)

Sue Hershey

Stated that there were two years before we would build the next new school. She asked Rodger if he could bring a calendar forward and move it backwards from occupancy. 

 

Nancy Kline

Expressed the opinion that CMR was the only transparent method of building.  She continued to say that once the district had the GMP, “You take that risk and transfer it right to the general contractor, and you’re pretty much out of the risk business then, you know what your number theoretically is, unless you change the plans or the scope of work.”    She felt bonds, insurance, fixed costs and overhead, were all  items that needed to be researched.

 

Sue Hershey

            Stated she would like to see the pros and cons dealing with the insurance and the bonds. 

 

Rodger Osborne

Stated that all the pros and cons would be looked into.

 

 

                     

 

 

 

There being no further business to bring before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

 

_______________________________                    

VICE -CHAIR (Laurie Gaylord)                  

 

 

 

_______________________________

SECRETARY (Sara A. Wilcox, Ph.D.)