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Questions still remained about the cost of the facility after the Monday, Feb. 26, Elk Rapids Public Schools Board of Education meeting.

District business manager Jeff Scroggins said an updated estimate of the building's total cost puts it at $580,000, including bond costs, equipment and contingencies. He said a better estimate and millage rates would be provided at a Monday, March 5, special meeting of the board.

A bond that would pay for technology updates, which have an estimated pricetag of $840,000, could cost taxpayers .37, .28 or .22 mills per year, depending on the lifetime of the bond.

District superintendent Jon Hoover said he hopes a decision on the bonds will be made on March 5, as ballot language is due by 4 p.m. March 9. He recommended to the board that the bonds be presented in two ballot questions.

Transportation supervisor Les Morden and maintenance and custodial supervisor Jack Howard made a presentation about the bus facility in early February, illustrating the "inadequate" building conditions the district's mechanic currently works under. After the presentation, the board asked for a more precise estimate of the building's cost.

Howard returned to the Feb. 26 meeting, presenting estimates from construction management firm Wolgast Corp. and local contractors. Wolgast gave an estimate of $514,897 for the total package, which includes about $454,000 for the building and about $60,000 for an onsite construction manager and professional testing and inspection.

Board Treasurer Vernon LaLone said the benefits of working with a construction management firm usually come when a building is more costly, and he asked if it would make more financial sense to bid the project out.

District superintendent Jon Hoover said the numbers would be about the same, but by bidding out, the school district would lose any cost savings that a general contractor might find. With the management firm, cost savings directly benefit the school district, he said.

Board Trustee Ed Bailey questioned whether utility and infrastructure costs are built into the price of the building. He said he is concerned that "everything" is built into the pricetag.

"You've got one shot at this and you don't want to cut it short," he said.

Ballot question
Hoover said the two bonds -- for technology updates and the bus facility -- could be presented in one ballot question or two.

He recommended they be in separate questions because the life expectancy of technology is five years. He said he wouldn't want to ask taxpayers to pay off a technology bond over six years only to return after five to ask for money for further updates.

Scroggins added that the projects are extremely different, and Bailey agreed.

He said the next step would be to sell the issue to taxpayers.

Board Secretary Sherry Steffen asked whether the ballot language could be clarified during promotion efforts. She said the legal language includes words like "remodeling" and "furnishings," which could insinuate the schools are trying to perform tasks with the bond that they aren't.

Scroggins said technology definitions are "quirky," and carts included in the project for a mobile computer lab are considered to be "furnishings."

Hoover said "remodeling" includes the ceiling mounts and energy conservation project that are outlined in the technology project.

He said the taxpayers will be fully informed on the issue.

"We plan to give them the A to Z on what will occur," he said.