By Eric Harrold
During the financial reports to the South O’Brien School Board at the Monday December 18, Superintendent Wade Riley provided details on the funds expended to date as part of the renovation and expansion of South O’Brien School District buildings in Primghar and Paullina.
The district has spent $785,568.55 from its PPEL and SAVE funds, according to Riley, to pay for pre-construction expenses that have been accrued up to this point.
The expenditures are related to the expansion and renovation of the district’s 7-12 building in Paullina and the restoration of the stage at the elementary building in Primghar that will provide a venue for fine arts performances.
Just 37 percent of the district’s registered voters, according to Rhea Schmalen, Deputy Auditor, voted on the $25.9 million school bond passed Tuesday, March 7. The expenses reveal the preparatory costs of any multi-million dollar construction cost in today’s world that are accrued even before any dirt work is done.
Architect fees ($283,265.05) and construction services ($402,503.60) represented the two largest expenditures of funds for this project to date.
Other costs attributed were the project feasibility study ($19,893.92), bond marketing ($22,161.36), analytic services ($23,000), land survey ($13,900), issuance fees ($805), asbestos abatement services ($22,260), and publication ($396.50).
Riley provided revised figures following Monday’s board meeting. He originally reported $682,000 spent from PPEL and SAVE funds toward the preconstruction expenses. He now reports that figure to be $785,568.55.
“When we went back and looked at everything, there were a couple of things that were missed in the original amount that was shared,” Riley said.
At the meeting Riley said that the school was planning the shift of classes that will occur once construction begins, but the details of those shifts have not yet been worked out. Riley added, “Shifting of classes will not occur during Phase 1 or Phase 2. Permanent shifts will occur during Phase 3 of the project or completion of south and west additions.” The school district does not anticipate any significant disruptions by the anticipated changes.