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By Amy K. StewartDust, questions in the air with school construction
OGDEN -- Dust is flying as Ogden School District proceeds with school construction and remodeling projects funded by its $95.3 bond financing, which voters approved in June 2006.
However, questions are also flying as one board member strives to keep the district in check with its construction process.
"At the end of the day, I want to have a high confidence level," said board member John Gullo, in an interview with the Standard-Examiner. "We have got to answer to 'John Q. Public.' "
Gullo wants to know why the district hired construction managers and a project manager instead of simply using district staff.
Ogden district Superintendent Noel Zabriskie, and Gary Reed, district director of support services, were interviewed by the Standard-Examiner to shed light on the district's construction process, and to answer Gullo's questions.
Ogden district is working with several companies. MHTN Architects, of Salt Lake City, is master architect for the district. Edwards and Daniels Architects, partnering with Cooper Roberts Simonsen Architecture, both of Salt Lake City, are handling Ogden High School's restoration and construction project.
Hogan and Associates Construction, based in Centerville, is working on the elementary and middle school projects. Hughes General Contractors Inc., of North Salt Lake, is doing the high school projects.
The district chose Hogan and Hughes as its construction managers to coordinate and keep track of the district's projects and consult with the district.
Reed said, "We know a lot about what's going on (with the construction) but we don't have that total knowledge -- that total experience. The people we have hired do this every day, and they've beendoing it for a long time."
Reed said the district's having a construction manager is much like a homeowner selling his house by using a Realtor instead of selling it himself.
"And you have to decide whether to pay the Realtor for their expertise," Reed said.
Hogan is contracted to get 1.8 percent of the total cost of the elementary/middle school projects. Total construction costs are expected to be $31.5 million. Hughes is contracted to receive 3.3 percent of both high school projects. Total construction cost of those are expected to be $74.3 million, Reed said.
Hughes is being paid more because the high school projects are "infinitely more difficult," Reed said.
The elementary schools are simply going up on a land parcel, starting from scratch. With the high schools, the district is rebuilding on the old sites, which is more complicated and can include unexpected glitches.
There have already been surprises, Reed said. "I can't begin to tell you what we're finding."
At Ogden High, construction workers found several unknown pipes under the old parking lot between the main school building and shop building. No one knew the pipes existed. They were not on any blueprints, he said.
"It's changed the scope of the sewer project that we're trying to put in," Reed said.
At Ben Lomond High School, construction workers discovered a water pipe beneath the sidewalk by the library -- under eight inches of concrete. It turned out to be a secondary irrigation water line from Pineview Reservoir.
The district hired Ron Bain as its full-time project manager.
Bain is assigned to coordinate with the architects and the construction managers. He is to make sure the district's goals are being met and to ensure district oversight, Zabriskie said. Bain is to be "another set of eyes," for the district, he said.
"He (Bain) makes sure these buildings go up properly and in budget," Reed said.
Bain is to review specifications and billing, Zabriskie said.
"We don't have the (construction) experienced staff," Zabriskie said. "We are educators. We certainly could learn -- but not at the expense of the taxpayer."
Bain is paid an annual salary of $69,000. He came from Weber County, where he essentially had the same job duties: supervising building projects, Reed said.
Bain goes to all construction meetings and also reviews all blueprints and billing records. He checks for data such as outlets, soundproofing, painting and other details.
Bain saved the district about $45,000 by recommending putting down floor tile in the gyms instead of staining concrete floors, Reed said.
He also finds safety concerns that could cause the district liability issues. This could cost the district more initially, Reed said.
"However, it's the right way and the best way to go," he said. "It's the safest."
For example, Bain pointed out instead of having individual floor tiles in the kitchen areas, the district should put down a solid seal stone floor that has sand in it so people can't slip if the floor is wet. Odyssey Elementary School has this tile. It will be in the new schools as well, Reed said.
Board President Don Belnap said he feels the district is handling its bond funding wisely.
The board recently approved final subcontractor bids for the Ben Lomond High School reconstruction project. With the exception of the gym, auditorium and shop building, all Ben Lomond High structures are to be demolished and replaced, for about $37 million. The project was originally estimated as coming in at $39.4 million.
"This means that the board of education now has nearly $2.5 million that can now be spent on other school construction projects," Belnap said. He added that he isn't sure specifically how the money will be spent, since the board and district just learned of the savings.
The money could be spent on seeing through projects that are on hold, mainly the elementary school that was slated to be built on the district campus, and the remodel of the Ogden High gym.
District officials announced in May they had learned the district was $40 million short of the amount needed to proceed with its building projects.
The shortfall is mainly due to increases in construction costs since plans for bond-funded building projects were created, they said.
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