EM school board hires MEP Associates and Rettler Corp. for preliminary facilities work
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound Board of Education has hired MEP Associates for preliminary facilities work to determine cost estimates for construction projects and Rettler Corporation for cost estimates on the athletic field.
“We need to get the numbers to share with taxpayers,” said Eric Wright, district administrator, at the Elk Mound Board of Education’s May 20 meeting.
“We need an accurate idea of what is needed before involving the public,” said Tim Sivertson, president of the Board of Education.
The Elk Mound school board contracted with CESA 10 facilities management services to obtain recommendations and bids for preliminary mechanical, plumbing and electrical services.
According to a bid tabulation provided to the school board, MEP Associates out of Eau Claire charges no fee to the school district if a referendum were to pass and no fee to the school district if a referendum were to fail.
The Elk Mound school district also received bids from Auth Consulting out of Menomonie and Apex Engineering out of Eau Claire.
Auth Consulting does not charge a fee if a referendum passes but charges a fee of $10,000 if a referendum were to fail.
Apex Engineering also does not charge a fee if a referendum passes but charges a $1,000 fee if a referendum were to fail.
MEP charges a five percent fee of $150,000 on a $3 million referendum; a 4.75 percent fee of $380,000 on an $8 million referendum; a 4.5 percent fee of $585,000 on a $13 million referendum and a 4.25 percent fee of $765,000 on an $18 million referendum.
Auth Consulting charges fees of $180,000 on a $3 million referendum; $440,000 on an $8 million referendum; $650,000 on a $13 million referendum and $810,000 on an $18 million referendum.
Apex Engineering charges $243,000 a $3 million referendum; $473,000 on an $8 million referendum; $678,000 on a $13 million referendum and $858,000 on an $18 million referendum.
Comparing the numbers, MEP charges $30,000 less on a $3 million referendum than Auth and $93,000 less than Apex.
On an $8 million referendum, MEP charges $60,000 less than Auth and $93,000 less than Apex.
On a $13 million referendum, MEP charges $65,000 less than Auth and $93,000 less than Apex.
On an $18 million referendum, MEP charges $45,000 less than Auth and $93,000 less than Apex.
CESA 10 facilities management services also included a recommendation for Rettler Corporation for civil engineering bid estimates for the athletic field.
Rettler Corporation out of Stevens Point charges a planning fee for the athletic field of $4,900 and charges 4.75 of the estimated project cost for a referendum fee.
The Elk Mound Board of Education unanimously approved the low bid from MEP Associates and the recommendation for Rettler Corporation.
Voting in favor of the motion were Sivertson as well as school board members Kyle Jenson, Mark Cedarblade, Loren Hanson, Patrick Rhude and Mark Oas.
School board member Gary Bodenburg was absent from the meeting.
Other business
In other business, the Elk Mound Board of Education:
• Approved open enrollment applications of 31 into the Elk Mound school district and 16 out of the school district. Eight of the open enrollment applications into the district already attend school at Elk Mound. The projected enrollment count for next year from early childhood education to twelfth grade is 1,172.
• Approved adding a high school dance team for the 2019-2020 school year. The budget for transportation, competition costs and the coach’s salary is expected to be about $3,000. The dance team must have a minimum of eight girls and boys. Jenson noted that having enough available practice space was the issue years ago when the high school prevsiously had a dance team. The dance team will have to be flexible and creative with practice time and the space that is used, said Paul Kling, high school principal.
• Approved adding a winter cheerleading team for the the 2019-2020 school year. A viable team will need eight participants, and the cheerleaders would not be traveling to away games for the regular season, Kling said. There will be 20 home games for the boys’ and the girls’ teams next year, he noted.
• Approved the resignation of Jesse Allen, bus mechanic.
• Accepted a bid for a three-year garbage service contract with Advanced Disposal. The costs per year will be $884.78; $929.02; and $975.47.
• Accepted the resignation of Renee Simpson as the archery club coach.
• Approved a review of safety training at all three schools on May 10.
• Scheduled the next meeting for June 24 and the regular school board meeting and annual meeting for August 26.
