T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown Community College parking lots are set for major overhauls Iowa Valley administrators plan to make high-priority repairs. As those repairs are made, district leaders are looking to resume planning for a bond referendum to fix, renovate and add to infrastructure at MCC, Ellsworth Community College and Iowa Valley Grinnell.

Officials are again discussing a potential Iowa Valley Community College District bond issue to fund district maintenance after it was put on hold in August.

During an Iowa Valley Board of Trustees retreat earlier this week, IVCCD Chancellor Chris Duree and Finance Director Kathy Pink discussed options for that bond issue, as well as what the district is doing in the short-term to make much-needed fixes.

“We actually think we can reduce the amount, I don’t think it will be the amount we were discussing earlier, the $33 million level,” Duree said of the renewed bonding effort.

The district originally looked into asking the public to allow $33 million, mostly for repairs to numerous pieces of infrastructure across Iowa Valley’s campuses in Marshalltown, Iowa Falls and Grinnell, as well as some additions.

That effort was delayed by the July 19 tornado. District buildings in Marshalltown became relief headquarters in the storm’s aftermath, housing victims and groups like the American Red Cross as they delivered relief.

Many of identified repairs that would be funded by the bond are in need of action in the near future. Pink said the district is planning to budget an estimated $2.5 million for some of high-priority repairs in Fiscal Year 2019.

She said that funding will come from money accumulated by the district in recent years, including funding from a plant fund levy and money left over after the district’s utility costs were paid.

District officials laid out several options for a potential election date for the bond question in 2019 and 2020. Duree suggested April 2, 2019 as a good option.

He said there is some concern that a public measures bill that came up last year in the state legislature could be passed in the upcoming session. If passed, such a bill could limit the days in which a bond election could be held.

“We think the April date would be the one that would be the most reasonable,” Duree said. “The question is, if the public measure bill goes through, that’s the only shot you get without it being on a general election date in November, and it get’s co-mingled with a lot of other issues.”

The district will take a second look at the repair needs across the district before coming to an updated bond amount.

“We know we need to go in and tweak some things and re-evauluate it,” Duree said.

The original bond question was set for approval by the board of trustees in August before going to the public for final approval in December.

For Marshalltown Community College, the repair list included parking lots, math and science department facilities, and a renovation of BJ Harrison Library.

At Ellsworth Community College, the plan was to build a new housing facility and fix up the two current residence halls. The total for those student housing projects was originally estimated at $7.35 million.

Voters living in the district, which covers portions of Marshall, Hardin, Tama, Grundy, Jasper, Story, Hamilton, Franklin, Butler and Poweshiek counties, will be able to cast a ballot if the bond question is approved for an election.

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Contact Adam Sodders at

(641) 753-6611 or

asodders@timesrepublican.com

By the numbers: High-priority projects at Iowa Valley

Iowa Valley Community College District leaders are deciding on reintroducing a bond issue to pay for repairs, renovations and additions across the district.

There are some needs that are more pressing than others and district Finance Director Kathy Pink said about $2.5 million is planned to be budgeted for Fiscal Year 2019 to address those needs.

Here are the projects that are considered a priority for the district, as well as estimated costs for those projects, according to district estimates:

Marshalltown Community College (MCC) and Iowa Valley Continuing Education (IVCE):

•MCC parking lot fixes: $673,000

•Bathroom renovations: $510,000

•Room partitions at IVCE: $130,000

•Carpet, paint, replace ceiling tiles in MCC classrooms and IVCE offices: $105,000

•Fire panel at MCC: $50,000

•MCC roof top unit: $41,500

•Outside lighting at MCC northwest parking lot: $10,000

Ellsworth Community College:

•Thompson Hall roof replacement: $177,310

•Thompson Hall windows replacement: $146,200

•Wall Hall windows replacement: $146,200

•Reg Johnson Hall HVAC: $140,000

•Reg Johnson Hall tuck pointing: $117,445

•Gentle Student Center roof: $19,100

•Carpet, paint, replace ceiling tiles at Reg Johnson Hall offices: $15,500

•Replace HVAC unit at Trades and Industry Building: $6,500

Iowa Valley Grinnell:

•Correct floor adhesion: $50,000

•Replace windows in reception area: $24,000

The above figures are estimates and may change. The Iowa Valley bond question is expected to be discussed in coming weeks, and district leaders have suggested April 2019 as a potential election date for the public to decide on the matter.