OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa School District faces millions of dollars in improvements to its north-side buildings, according to a recent facility assessment. Just how much the district will need to spend is yet to be seen.
The district contracted with Estes Construction to conduct a comprehensive facility condition report with total recommendations ranging from $35.9 million to $42 million. The report will be used by the facility committee to create a District Facility Master Plan.
“We want to be proactive thinkers when it comes to our facility planning instead of being reactive,” said Superintendent Nicole Kooiker. “We also want to be able to get community feedback and support for whatever decisions we make in the future. We want a long-term plan that will be beneficial for our students and families for many years to come.”
The report was broken up into the categories of health and life safety, building improvements and site improvements. Each recommendation was given a grade of urgent, required, recommended or suggested.
“We wanted to get a comprehensive review of the ongoing facility needs at some of our older buildings and use that to prioritize the long-term maintenance and capital improvement plans in each of those facilities,” said John Berg, the district’s Chief Financial Officer, who also sits on the facility committee.
Here is a breakdown of recommendations by building:
Ottumwa High School
While total costs were the highest for Ottumwa High School, it had no item listed as urgent. Required items are as follows: new ADA-compliant water coolers, new ADA-compliant interior accessibility, new code-compliant stair railings, new secure main entrance and administrative offices, new ADA-compliant entrance, new fire suppression sprinkler system in weight room, new fire alarm system in Vocational Tech Building, new ceilings at select locations, new wall finishes at select locations, new oil interceptor at auto shop, and new paving improvements. In addition to having the highest dollar amount for recommended improvements, OHS has the highest variance, or difference between the low and high estimates, for required items at 152.21 percent.
One item of note for the suggested items is a new competition gymnasium addition, estimated at $2,726,800 to $3,166,800.
Total cost for required items ranges from $764,208 to $1,927,422. With recommended and suggested items added in, the total for OHS comes to $14,106,329 to $19,972,113.
Horace Mann Elementary
Horace Mann has one urgent item on its list of recommendations: a new back flow preventer, priced at $7,362 to to $14,723. Maintenance Director Chuck Bray says that this improvement will eliminate the threat of back contamination of the school’s water supply, which he said is low-risk and has never been an issue at the buildings.
Required items for the building: new ADA-compliant water coolers, new ADA-compliant fire extinguisher cabinets, new ADA-compliant elevator, new accessible library renovation, new ADA-compliant ramps, new code-compliant stairway railings, new ADA-compliant door hardware, new ADA-compliant restroom entrances, new secure main entrance, new ADA-compliant restrooms, new relocated electrical service, new fire alarm system, new interior doors, and new masonry tuck pointing. Required items for Horace Mann total $782,271 to $1,347,595.
A recommended item of note is construction of a new classroom addition and office renovation for a range of $1,142,615 to $1,339,131.
The variance for urgent and required items for the building is 72.53 percent.
Total recommendations for the building range from $5,077,918 to $7,325,399.
Wilson Elementary
Like Horace Mann, Wilson had one urgent item listed: new back flow preventer for a range of $7,362 to $14,723.
Required items for the building are: new ADA-compliant water coolers, new ADA-compliant fire extinguisher cabinets, new ADA-compliant interior accessibility, new ADA-compliant elevator, new ADA-compliant ramps, new code-compliant stairway railings, new ADA-compliant classroom entrances, new secure vestibule, new ADA-compliant restrooms, new fire alarm system, new masonry repairs and tuck pointing, new electrical service, and new steps to original main entrance. The cost for required items ranges from $1,089,011 to $1,592,228.
Totals for urgent and required items for Wilson have a variance of 46.57 percent.
With recommended and suggested items added in, totals for the Wilson building ranged from $5,135,597 to $7,906,075.
James Elementary
While totals for recommendations for James were second-lowest of the buildings assessed, it was the building with the highest number of urgent items on the list of recommendations. Urgent items include new exit signing in classroom wings, new back flow preventer and new exterior GFCI receptacles (outdoor electrical outlets). Totals for urgent items at James range from $9,276 to $17,667.
Required items listed are new ADA-compliant door hardware, new secure main entrance addition, new ADA-compliant restrooms, new sidewalk improvements to south entrance, and new path of egress. Totals for James’ required items range from $377,862 to $577,937.
The variance for combined totals of urgent and required items is 53.95 percent.
Building totals with recommended and suggested items ranges from $2,506,072 to $3,610,728.
Eisenhower Elementary
Like Ottumwa High School, Eisenhower has no urgent items on its listing. It was also the building with the lowest total cost of recommendations of the buildings assessed.
However, there are a number of required items on Eisenhower’s list: new ADA-compliant water coolers, new ADA-compliant hardware, new ADA-compliant stoops, new safety-rated interior glazing, new secure main entrance, new ADA-compliant restrooms, new end panels at protruding shelving, new fire alarm system improvements, new urinals in boys’ restroom, new interior doors, new slab settling investigation and repairs, new masonry tuck pointing, new domestic water heater, new sidewalk improvements and new site grading at building perimeter.
Totals for required items ranged from $252,094 to $383,051, creating a variance of 51.95 percent.
Total recommendations for the building range from $1,995,149 to $3,209,012.
Totals for urgent items at all five schools range from $24,000 to $47,113 with required items ranging from $3,265,446 to $5,828,233. The variance all schools for urgent and required items is 78.61 percent.
Features Editor Tracy Goldizen can be reached via email at tgoldizen@ottumwacourier.com or followed on Twitter @CourierTracy.
