Highland board moves forward with building project

by Ranee Fladung
Highland board members voted 6-1 Monday to proceed with the design development stage for an estimated $3.5 million building project at the Highland Middle and Senior High School. Board member Bruce Temple was the sole opposition.
The improvements would add a new wrestling room, media center, administrative offices and five classrooms.
Board Secretary Bev Colbert said it was decided Monday “That this is the best time to go ahead with the project especially now with the economy.”
Roger Worm, OPN Architects in Cedar Rapids, presented preliminary drawings which had been “tweaked” by the building committee, teachers and booster club members during a work session November 3. Once the technical designs are completed the second stage would be the value engineering, the final step to “tweak” plans before the bid letting planned for February.
Duane Van Hemert, IASB Construction Advocate for the district, said that the project could be bid out as four separate projects if funding was not available. Colbert said Piper Jaffray of Des Moines, the district’s financial advisors, project there will be sufficient funds to complete the entire project as planned. However, she added, if the board b elieved it could not fund the project following the design phase they could table it.
If the board continues with the project following the December 8 meeting, bid letting could begin in February with a possible contract awarded in mid-March. Goal is to have major construciton done by the end of August.
In other business, the board:

1. watched a demonstration by Amy Stoltenberg on how the new Promethean (smart) boards work in the classroom. Highland has 17 “smart boards.” Colbert said the school would like to have a smart board in each classroom
2. heard a presentation from Olena Popkova, foreign exchange student from the Ukraine, who talked about the similarities and differences in the two countries
3. accepted resignations from Lindey Anderson and Curt Barnes as assistant volleyball and baseball coach, respectively
4. appointed Sherry Ingalls as Middle School custodian, Ryan Koller as JH boys’ basketball coach, Andy Davis as head baseball coach and Owen Crist as assistant baseball coach
5. set the next board meeting for Monday, December 8, at 7 p.m. in the High School library.