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Mar. 10, 2010
By Chris Umscheid
NORTH LIBERTY LEADER
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Board member Kevin Kinney makes a point during the Feb. 17 regular meeting of the CCA School Board.
(Chris Umscheid) |
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TIFFIN - Earlier this month, Clear Creek Amana (CCA) Superintendent Dr. Paula Vincent announced her resignation, effective June 30.. The board of directors has begun searching for a replacement.
At the Feb. 3 meeting, board secretary Dee Dee Madden was directed to contact search firms specializing in finding superintendents and administrators, with a goal to have proposals in hand for the regular monthly meeting on Feb. 17.
Four firms responded with cost proposals and a listing of the services they would provide: Dr. David Else, Cedar Falls; McPherson & Jacobsen, LLC, Omaha, Neb.; School Exec Connect, Moline, Ill.; and G. Tryon and Associates of Johnston, Iowa.
McPherson & Jacobsen had a partial proposal of $7,500; Dr. Else's proposal came in at $8,100; School Exec Connect had a partial proposal of $10,000; and G. Tryon and Associates' partial proposal was for $9,145. Other than Dr. Else, the other three all had additional unnamed expenses or services and did not specify a cost for some services.
"Based on the information that we have, I would be in favor of using Dr. David Else of Cedar Falls," Board President Tim Hennes said. The search firm of Ray and Associates, who conducted the search that brought Dr. Vincent to CCA, sent a letter of interest but no formal proposal.
It was suggested to bring in a second firm, but Hennes said he felt the time to strike was now.
"Right now is when all the jockeying is going on with these positions. If we take too much more time, we could potentially lose out on a good applicant," he said. Hennes added he would like to talk to the firm and see "if we feel comfortable and then proceed. If we don't, we can always go back to another one"
Additionally, Hennes said they needed to get the position posted to get the ball rolling. Dr. Vincent noted the firms were all credible, but she had not dealt with any of them personally. Principals Brenda Parker, Brad Fox, and Ben Macumber were present, but none of them had had any dealings with the firms, either. A motion was made and approved to direct secretary Madden to contact Dr. Else.
Intercampus road
In other business, the board returned to the intercampus road and trail proposal. Hennes called for and received a motion to direct the secretary to publish notice of a public hearing and bids. The motion carried.
Shawn Lueth of Shive-Hattery was again on hand to address the board and turn over a set of plans and specifications for the project. He pointed out two minor modifications to the plans from the Feb. 3 meeting: the addition of an enclosure for trash dumpsters, as well as a wheelchair ramp and handicap accessibility to the weight room.
As for cost, Lueth said with the additions and removals the project was still in the neighborhood of $820,000. The plans are 75 percent complete, and the board will still be able to contemplate and make changes.
"These go out to bid, I believe the first week of March," Lueth said, noting the plans would be completed by the end of February. A final review with the board will then be held prior to putting the plans out for bid.
Hennes asked if the board should consider an asphalt surface, but Vice President Betsy Momany was against it.
"It doesn't last," she said.
"I think we need to have it bid both ways," Kevin Kinney suggested, and Lueth said the plans could easily be modified for an alternate bid. According to Lueth, the curb and gutters would still be concrete; the only thing that would change would be one section on the plan. Mick Kahler asked if going with asphalt would lead to a cost savings.
"It's not a cost savings if you have to patch it all the time," Momany said. "It's not a cost savings if where it meets the curb and gutter, you get big cracks and big breaks. And you get grass coming up through it and it breaks it down. That's just not savings"
Vincent suggested the user group convene to discuss the issue; Lueth agreed it would be possible to do so and said they would add an alternate section to the plans per Hennes' request.
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