FMCSD stands by decision - Letter to the Editor

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, As members of the Fort Madison Community School Board, we are continually humbled by the generosity of the volunteers, donations, and philanthropic work that make the community of Fort Madison so great. The opportunities that have been offered to our youth, with support from all of our community partners, is admirable. Our district has many community partners and these partners will always be important to us. As a school board, it is our duty and mission to prepare all students for success through advanced curriculum and proper learning environments. That need is what drives us! As elected officials, our obligation is to the taxpayers and to our students. Our board was encouraged to pursue a construction manager to help facilitate the process for a successful bond referendum. We interviewed two Southeast Iowa contractors. Our decision included the following criteria: construction management experience, knowledge of the public school construction and bidding process (as there are unique laws and regulations), references from prior public project performance, and fees. We believe it is our ethical responsibility to perform a qualifications-based selection process in order to identify the most qualified team members. The construction management agency hiring decision was made based on the following: ● Carl A. Nelson & Company’s proposal was significantly less than the Baxter Construction proposal. ● Carl A. Nelson & Company reported that they had completed 32 Construction Management as Agent projects for public entities and Baxter Construction provided no references for public projects completed as Construction Management as Agents. ● At the time of the selection, Carl A. Nelson & Company had worked for 15 public school districts all with positive references and within the local tri-state area. ● Carl A. Nelson & Company reported they had completed 96 major projects in Fort Madison. ● Carl A. Nelson & Company gave real examples of cost-saving recommendations they made on three projects that saved their clients over $800,000 showing the value of their services by example. The mission of the Fort Madison Community School District is “to ensure all students learn the academic and life skills necessary for personal success and responsible living.” Our end goal in establishing a new, unified elementary school is to better enable us to fulfill that mission. We believe that by providing our students with modern educational environments, it will ensure academic excellence during their years with Fort Madison Community School District and the years to follow.

Sincerely, Tim Wondra & Dianne Hope President & Vice President Fort Madison Community School District School Board

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