District 88

awards air

quality

contract

Project addresses mold problems in school buildings

By KREMENA TODOROVA

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The District 88 Board of Education on Thursday awarded the latest in a series of contracts intended to remove and control mold growth in school buildings.

The contract, for examining and adjusting heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems at four school sites, went to metro-based MEP Associates.

The idea of this project is to compare system readings to manufacturers' specifications, determine if the systems are operating properly, identify the problems and, if necessary and possible, make adjustments, explained District 88 Facilities Director Scott Hogen. The measure has been suggested by IEA, the consulting firm that measured the mold levels last fall.

The sites covered by the contract are Washington Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, the high school and the administration building. System balancing at the middle school, far less affected than the other buildings, is not scheduled until 2006.

At $51,240, the MEP quote was significantly lower than two competing quotes, respectively $86,150 and $101,651.

When questioned by board members, Hogen explained the large difference with the fact that the successful contractor had already worked with IEA when the latter assessed mold growth. As a result, it is already familiar with the mechanical side of the systems and would not need to replicate that part of the work. Hogen said he was satisfied that the MEP quote met the district's specifications.

District 88 had budgeted some $280,000 for this project. According to Business Manager Donna Luhring, the accepted quote is a lot lower that the budgeted amount because the quote does not include mechanical parts; the contractor is obviously unable to estimate that piece of the work at this time.

District 88 has already spent about $100,000 this fiscal year on addressing mold issues. It has budgeted another roughly $320,000, for projects such as carpet cleaning and removal and sheetrock cleaning and reconstruction.

* In another development, Superintendent Harold Remme informed the board that the local school district is losing about $45,000 this year as a result of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's "unallotment" action.

The hit is taken by the Community Education, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), and preschool programs, Remme reported.

He also noted that Pawlenty's education funding proposal, in its current form, would affect funding for ECFE in the future. For example, the district would need to charge parents $125 instead of the current $25 to keep programs in place, said Remme. Among other things, the Pawlenty proposal would lead to the elimination of after-school and summer programs.

* During Thursday's meeting, the board also approved a staff seniority list for next year and heard committee reports.