South Adams design begins (10/10/07)

BERNE - South Adams Schools officials know what they want. And they know how much they have to spend.

Now they need to find out how much they can afford.

That's the next step in the design/build process as the school corporation moves toward building a new kindergarten through grade eight facility adjacent to South Adams High School to replace aging structures in Geneva and Berne. The project also involves renovations at the high school.

Dan Rawlins, design criteria developer for InterDesign, an Indianapolis archictural firm, told school board members Tuesday that preliminary design criteria have been made available to the three "most highly qualified" design/build firms.

All three have indicated there is an "imbalance" between the $25 million budget for the project and what the school corporation wants in the way of a new facility.

"There is an issue," said Rawlins, who is working with a technical review committee to guide the design/build process for South Adams.

"The highest priority is to meet the budget," said Rawlins. "We've got to pick and choose to get the best value."

The three design/build firms - Performance Services Inc., Weigand Construction Co., and Wight and Co. - have been informed by the technical review committee that the top four priorities for the project are, in descending order: Meeting the budget, maximizing instructional space, optimizing quality, and achieving schedule expectations.

Rawlins urged not rushing the process at this stage. "We could push them too fast right now and get a superficial proposal," he said.

Instead, the design/build teams will be given an opportunity on Oct. 18 to meet with staff at the elementary, middle, and high school in order to get a better handle on the project's needs.

After those meetings, a set of final design criteria will be issued on Oct. 22 along with a formal request for proposals.

When those proposals are received, they'll be brought back to the board for review and action.

The board approved a variety of paperwork in connection with the issuing of $1.67 million in general obligation bonds as a part of the financing for the project.

In other business, the board:

•Was asked by Egolf to consider having "paperless" board meetings at some time in the future, using memory sticks, school computers, and computer projectors instead of paper.

•Learned that South Adams students have consistently posted the highest scores in Adams County on the SAT test over the past ten years.

•Agreed to allow Friends House in Bluffton to use school facilities for a program without paying rent.

•Commended teachers and principals for their flexibility in dealing with new computer technology this fall as part of a curriculum mapping program.[[In-content Ad]]