School Board moves forward in seeking to solve building woes

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Jan. 25, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

The Bemidji School Board took another step forward Thursday in determining how to remedy problems with both the High School and Lincoln Elementary School buildings.

The board, accepting a Facility Committee recommendation, will begin contract discussions with two professionals -- an architect and a construction manager -- to help the committee proceed in Phase Two of the study, said Rollie Morud, superintendent of Bemidji schools.

He said the two companies will provide professional advice to the Facility Committee as it explores the district's options and evaluates the costs of renovation or construction in Phase Two.

The architect, DLR Group of Minneapolis, was chosen from a field of 14, and the construction manager, Bossardt Corp. of Minneapolis, was chosen from among seven companies.

"They have a lot of experience helping communities work their way through these questions," Morud said.

The Facility Committee was assembled in August to determine if there were significant problems with the two schools. After touring both, the committee found that Lincoln is not handicapped accessible, and has poor ventilation and small classrooms.

Problems in the High School included space limitations and a suspect ventilation system. The committee's report determined there was need of more than $400,000 in repairs, meaning any final action take will have to be approved by the district's residents.

The committee was authorized by the School Board to move into Phase Two of the study, which will determine what options the district has, including reorganization, renovation or construction.

Morud has said he would like to see completion of Phase Two by March, and if there is to be a Phase Three, completion of it by the end of the school year. Phase Three would be a design phase.

Eventually, school district voters would be called upon to approve major building plans exceeding $400,000.