MCSD board approves contract for new elementary construction

After accepting a bid from Garling Construction at last month’s regular board meeting, the Monticello Community School District’s Board of Education approved the standard form of agreement with Garling for the construction of the district’s new 72,000 square-foot elementary school.

“OPN took the contract from the middle school and kind of used that as a template. They sent it to us first and we sent it to our attorney,” Superintendent Brian Jaeger said. “Our attorney went through to make sure we have everything we need to represent ourselves, said it looked good, so we sent it back to OPN to send to Garling.”

Jaeger added that the approval may have needed to wait until the Nov. 24 regular meeting, but the turnaround from Garling was quick enough to get it on the Nov. 12 work session.

Board member John Schlarmann asked if the new elementary construction would interfere with the middle school and Jaeger explained where the fencing would run on the school’s campus.

The superintendent added that middle school busing would go on uninterrupted, except for a few days that the work crews must dig up a portion of the road. Jaeger said that they will fill the road in with gravel and the busing and parent drop-offs will go on as normal.

The contract states work on the new school should be completed by June 1, 2027, but does not feature a start date. There will be a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m.

The contract features two alternate additions, a north parking lot for $245,000 and the widening of Spring Farm Lane for $59,000.

Other board news

The board also approved a resolution providing for the award and issuance of general obligation bonds and providing for the levy of taxes to pay the same.

Travis Squires, from Piper Sandler, provided the board with an update on the bid results for the MCSD’s $9.8 million general obligation school bonds.

Northland Securities, Inc. put in the winning bid.

Squires said the interest rates were in line as anticipated in prior financial models and “keeps financing plan on track.”

Squires added that the results are a positive with respect to project funds and the overall financing plan.

The following personnel items were also approved: appointments – Danny Beck as interim seventh grade science/health teacher (for 2025-26 second semester only) and Jarrett Easton as volunteer boys basketball coach; amendments – Mark Bouska from special education bus drive to shuttle route driver.

The board also approved the changing of a Dec. 10 work session to a legislative forum on Dec. 3. 

Before adjournment, the board approved the vote for Deborah Bowman as director of district No. 5 for the Grant Wood Area Agency Board of Directors.

The MCSD will hold its regular meeting on Nov. 24 in the board room at Monticello High School.