Ames School Board Skips Cost Saving Value Engineering Sessions for New Schools

Ames School Board members agreed to disagree and decided not to spend $40,000 on value engineering sessions that could have found cost savings in its elementary building projects.

The board has hired a construction manager Taylor Ohde Kitchell, to oversee the construction of the new Miller and new Meeker elementary schools as well as renovations at Mitchell Elementary School. The board discussed Monday whether to pay an additional $25,500 for a value engineering session for the Meeker School and $17,800 for a value engineering session for renovations of Mitchell School.

Board members had different opinions on which school projects might benefit from the sessions and agreed not to do it at all.

The sessions would have been held early on in the design process with the hopes of finding the “most cost-effective method to design and build a project” without sacrificing function or intent, according to board documents.

Board Member David Putz said he struggled with paying that amount of money for the service and the process and made a motion not to proceed.

Board Member Mike Espeset seconded Putz's motion to pass on the sessions, but said he had been willing to try it on Meeker Elementary School and thought that the district would benefit from the process but wouldn't be able to explain how until after they go through it.

Board Member Rodney Briggs said, “Though I believe that we will learn something form the process I question whether we will be able to use what we learn.”

Board Member Teresa Simpson said she was interested in using the service for the new Meeker building. Board President Dan Woodin said he thought the process would work best for the renovations at Mitchell Elementary and thought they wouldn't gain as much from the process for the newly constructed schools.

Board Member Bill Talbot said he was opposed to spending any money on it, but would do it for renovations at Mitchell Elementary if any at all.

The board voted 6-1 to skip the sessions. Simpson cast the dissenting vote.

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