MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
The Hutchinson USD 308 Board of Education has approved beginning the process of selecting a construction manager to provide additional cost and planning expertise ahead of the district's November bond election.
The board voted 7-0 Monday night to begin a Construction Manager at Risk, or CMAR, selection process for projects included in the proposed $36 million bond issue.
Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson emphasized that beginning the process before the election does not mean the district assumes voters will approve the bond and does not authorize any construction.
Any construction would remain contingent on voter approval in November.
"What we are doing differently is making sure we have better information before we ask our community to make a decision," Johnson told the board.
Johnson said the district learned from its previous bond election that officials need to be as precise and transparent as possible about the scope, cost, timing and priorities of proposed projects.
Bringing a construction manager into the process early would allow another professional review of cost estimates while helping the district evaluate project phasing and scheduling, potential construction issues and current market conditions.
Under the approved process, the CMAR would provide technical and advisory assistance before the election at no cost to USD 308. If the bond does not pass, the district would not be charged for that pre-election work.
If voters approve the bond, the construction manager would then be paid as part of the project. District officials said construction management, architectural design and other project-related expenses are already factored into the $36 million proposal and would not be an additional bond request.
About $30 million of the proposed bond is tied to construction projects, with approximately $6 million covering other project costs.
The proposal includes projects at multiple USD 308 buildings, including HVAC and roof replacements, kitchen and food service work, restrooms, interior renovations, playgrounds and storm shelters.
Johnson said the scope and number of projects make CMAR a potentially better fit than the traditional design-bid-build process used for the district's child care center.
Under CMAR, the construction manager becomes involved while architects are still working through the design process. The construction manager can recommend alternatives to control costs and coordinate subcontractors, scheduling and construction across multiple buildings.
Another key component is a guaranteed maximum price. District officials said that shifts more of the risk for cost overruns to the construction manager instead of USD 308. Savings below the guaranteed maximum price would be returned to the district under the process described to the board.
Board members said the additional expertise could also give residents greater confidence that the cost and project information presented ahead of the election is realistic.
"Ultimately, it's up to the voter, but we want to give them as accurate and complete of a picture as possible," a board member said.
Several board members also said they have heard favorable comments about the district's latest approach to addressing facility needs, particularly its focus on maintaining existing buildings and using district capital outlay funding alongside the proposed bond.The CMAR selection itself will follow a statutory process that includes public notice, requests for qualifications and proposals, evaluation by a selection committee and final board approval.
The board's 7-0 vote begins that process, with any actual construction remaining dependent on the outcome of the November bond election.