December 12, 2016 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  In May of 2015 Nexus attended a board meeting to share their ability to assist districts with planning and financing 10-year facilities plans.  Their attendance was in response to the need to replace boilers at the elementary and hot water heaters at the high school in conjunction with energy efficiency projects (requiring a performance contract) while looking with broad vision at all of the district’s future needs such as parking lots, floors, remodels, etc. The Board requested qualifications documents be sent to vendors in December of 2015 that qualify to conduct performance contracting for energy efficiency projects.  The state lists 14 approved vendors for performance contracting nationally of which DPI lists 8 (some on the national list are electrical only and others HVAC only).  Of the eight listed on the DPI approved list three vendors that did not have an office location in the state of WI or nearby IA.  The vendors selected were H and H, Johnson Controls, McKinstry, Nexus, and Trane.  Request for quotes was sent to all providers except Johnson Controls and the board interviewed H and H, McKinstry, and Nexus then selecting Nexus as the vendor of choice in February of 2016. 

What has the district paid Nexus to date and what is the ‘walk-away’ fee and project development fee about the project development cost?
Walk-Away Fee:  A walk-away price of $9,750 is what the District committed to paying Nexus if the project does not move forward to implementation.  The full cost of MP Schools project development is $31,200, which is rolled up into the project should it move forward to implementation.  Apparently, Nexus assumed the risk of development and loses money if a client doesn’t move forward with a project. Conversely, the development fees the District incurs as part of a bonded project are maximized should the board implement most of the recommended improvement measures.

What is Nexus markup on projects?
By far, Nexus is the lowest cost and arguably delivers the highest quality services.  Fees are 15-20% and include all of Nexus costs for development, architectural & engineering design, consensus building (including referendum support), capital planning, lifecycle cost analysis, and project management.  That’s not to be confused with Nexus profit margin. Nexus shows the board the bids, invoices, and Nexus fees on top of proposals for exact open book pricing.  Because Nexus is an engineering firm, they issue stamped, professional drawings and detailed plans and specifications, so companies are bidding apples-to-apples with competitive pricing.  

Board discussions find consensus around what, if any, long-term project will be advanced for second consideration at the January regular board meeting.

Description:  Every two years the district convenes a calendar committee to review and recommend changes to the school calendar.  The 17-18 school calendar is year 2 of 2.  First Reading of the school calendar is before the board and mirrors the calendar put forth by calendar committee last year.  

Description:  The administrative team reviewed the attendance policy and offers the following policy and rule as an update to the current policy as a first reading. 

Description:  The dust collector currently used in the Tech Ed area is a single barrel unit, which exhausts all of its air into the atmosphere, without a filter component, sending dust into a secondary container.  The unit has adequate airflow and pressure in a minority of vents causing the maintenance a nuisance of the unit .  The unit also exhausts all treated air, so it is energy intensive to operate and requires all makeup air to be heated.  The unit appears to have been relocated (in 1996) from the old high school, so it is well past its useful life.  A new dust collector that includes a recirculating unit with filtration and double barrel arrangement, allows for more wood dust collection while providing energy savings from recirculating the air back in the building.  

The existing rooftop unit serving the wood shop does not provide adequate heating and cooling and it appears as  though the unit is intended for 100% outside air so it is undersized for that duty.  It is recommended that the addition of a recirculating dust collector will allow for a properly sized rooftop unit that can incorporate return air and the unit will function better as a recirculating unit.  The upgrade will improve indoor and outdoor environmental conditions and provide energy savings.  

The dust collector replacement as a stand alone project was quoted at $62K.  The recirculating dust collection unit with filtration, double barrel arrangement, to include a rooftop unit replacement that provides energy savings is estimated to cost $310,413.  The cost also includes radiant ceiling panels to room D108 to improve a traditionally cold room.

The District recommends bundling this project with other projects under a performance contract and amortizing the estimated full project cost of $310,413 over the next twenty years.  The board could choose to use fund balance to fund this project as a second option.   

Description:  Dec 23rd (5:00pm) Deadline for Incumbents to File Notice of Noncandidacy (Jeff Basting & Glenn Kinch)

Jan 3rd (5:00pm) Deadline for Candidates to File ALL Documents needed to establish eligibility to appear on Spring 2017 Ballot.

Description:  http://www.wasb.org/websites/convention/index.php?p=834

Description:  Convene to Closed Session Wisconsin State Statute 19.85 (1) (c)  Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility." Wis. Stat. § 19.55(l)(e).