Council agrees Community Center repairs be done in stages, keep costs less than $100,000 each

By Mary Zielinski
The Kalona Community Center will be repaired in stages, starting with the exterior siding, the council decided Monday.
“I think we can keep it under the $100,000 state cap,” said City Administrator Doug Morgan, referring to the legislated spending limit that permits cities not to have formal bidding.
Morgan said that specifications will be prepared, probably with the assistance of Al Varney of Ament, Inc. Ament did preliminary plans for a total renovation/remodeling of the Center.
Varney had prepared an estimated cost breakdown for just roofing and siding work for the building. The total for residing and reroofing the entire building was $354,494. There was an additional $88,623 figured for general contractor overhead and profit line.
Morgan suggested that “We can do this locally,” a move that would hold down costs.
Council members agreed that the siding will be done first and should be this year.
Morgan said that the roof “Can be done next year.”
Council members Steve Lafaurie and Dave Bentley urged that whatever is done be something that could “match” any future expansion or renovation.
“It should be durable,” said Bentley, noting that the Center needs repairs now and remodeling could be done later.
Part of the remodeling could see the council meetings moved to the public library meeting room. The library is directly across the street from the Center which houses city offices. Morgan said that he had talked with the library director about such use and “she said it would be discussed by the library board.”
Earlier in the meeting, the council was asked by local realtor Larry Pickard to consider an entirely different plan by purchasing the former Townhouse/
Der Sommerkeche property on Highway 1 (110 lst Street). Pickard said the asking price is $295,000 and noted that the facility could be remodeled into city offices, meeting rooms, a senior center and possible rental areas. He said the building has a total of 9,200 square feet.
He explained that the present Center could then be repaired and used entirely for recreation purposes. If the south segment (former Kalona High School) were razed, that area could be used for more city parking, he said.
He added that it would be less than spending millions to remodel the existing building.
“This could be a cheaper route,” Pickard said.
Ament’s estimate for the total remodeling/razing is $2,362,954. That figure does not include furnishings, equipment, a ten percent contingency fund and administrative costs, which would likely bring total costs exceeding $2.5 million.
Morgan said that the city’s Buildings and Ground Committee would see about specs and the issue may be on the next council meeting.
The next regular meeting will be 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 2. Council members approved the change to accommodate the Labor Day holiday.