Dear Logan-Magnolia Community,
As most of you are well aware, the Logan-Magnolia building project came to a halt due to the bids for the project coming in over budget. The school and some community members have been working extremely hard to come up with a plan that will best serve our school district.
The first step in this process was to switch from a construction manager (CM) format to a construction manager-at-risk (CMaR) format. The basic difference between the two models is that the CMaR is more of a general contractor whereas the CM is only able to help with the planning and management of the project without being able to do any of the construction work. You may ask why we did not go with CMaR from the start. The reality is that it was not legal in Iowa to use CMaR when the district started the project. After much research it was decided that going with the CMaR format the district will be able to save money and reduce the chances that parts will be cut out of the project due to cost cutting measures.
The school board is in the process of vetting potential CMaR companies. Once the school board finds a company that fits our needs the bid process will be started. The goal is to have the bid process in September or early October and move forward from there. I do appreciate your patience in this matter.
Related to the construction process, The Logan-Magnolia Community School Board voted to ask the public to vote on increasing the school physical plant and equipment property levy. This levy would be a combination of property tax and income tax. If this vote passes the school would have the authority to raise up to 2.54 million dollars which could be spent on improving the physical structure of the school. This tax levy would help us reach our goal of giving the community the school improvements that were voted on in March of 2022.
On a positive note the school district has purchased the Smooth Trucking Building which is located directly east of our elementary school. The location of this property opens up a lot of opportunities for our school district. The plan is to put a committee together to come up with a floorplan for the use of the building. There are a lot of ideas out there on how the district should use the building. The committee will come with a plan that will best meet the needs of the school district.