SOS Construction Committee Members Do a Deep Dive Into Construction Plans, March 7, 2024

By Eric Harrold
In a special meeting held on Monday, February 5, the South O’Brien School Board approved six motions pertaining to construction projects at its facilities in Primghar and Paullina.
The meeting began with construction committee members Josh Rausch, John Beck, and board president Gina Paulsen assuring those present that the building plans had been thoroughly reviewed and that every effort had been made to address any questions that came up.
FEH Design of Sioux City produced the plans for the construction that will soon begin at each site later this summer.
School superintendent Wade Riley said it was his hope that the building committee would be ready to make recommendations to the rest of the board so that plans could be put out to bid.
“We spent two hours going through actual blueprints with Matt [Bayse] the other day,” said Rausch. “We’ve gone through them a couple of times now, just trying to foresee any potential issues or changes we should be making. Everything is very detailed in there, the electrical, the plumbing, you name it, so if we have any hiccups down the road, and obviously there always is with construction. It’s a lot to digest as there are three buildings to look at. I feel very comfortable with the plans.
Beck echoed Rausch’s sentiments, referring to the plans as “very detailed in phasing.”
Paulsen added, “I would say we asked multiple questions and dug a little deep into many aspects of it. We’ve talked through the phases. Matt and his team have done a great job of putting all together.
Bayse was present at the meeting with blueprints in hand to share with anyone who wanted to see them, but the only questions asked had nothing to do with design.
School district superintendent Wade Riley responded to a question about how construction plans will flow with the academic calendar.
“We don’t feel like there’s going to be a lot of disruptions,” Riley said, in reference to the work that will be done at the high school. “There’s going to be a temporary entrance on the south side. The west side will be closed off once the project gets started.”
Riley added that there would be a “little bit” of adjustment for students returning in August but school administrators would make sure that students were clear on things.
At present there are no plans to assign a project manager, a decision that was made following a lengthy discussion between Bayse and the construction committee. It was felt that hiring a project manager would add considerable cost, and that Bayse and others with FEH could meet with contractors as needed to ensure that questions are addressed and quality is maintained through the course of the construction.
Following comments from Bayse, Riley asked again if there were any more questions for the committee. Paulsen then called for votes on each of the six items, which included approval of plans, public hearings, and bid time, date and place for both the Primghar and Paullina campuses.
Each measure passed unanimously.