T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM FEH President and Architect Kevin Eipperle gives a high school CTE wing update to the Marshalltown Community School District Board of Education during the regular Monday meeting. The project is mostly complete, and a ribbon cutting and open house is scheduled for Oct. 31.

Marshalltown residents will be able to tour the new Marshalltown High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing on Oct. 31.

A ribbon cutting of the CTE will be held at 4:30 p.m., followed by an open house from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m.

During the regular Monday school board meeting, FEH Design President and Architect Kevin Eipperle told the school board the project is mostly complete. In fact, students have already occupied the space for a few weeks, he said. There are just some loose ends to tie up, and he asked the board members to approve an $86,452 change order.

“There are still several [items] we are working back and forth on,” Eipperle said. “One of those, for example, is the connection between the greenhouse and the building.”

The greenhouse kit initially specified for the project was not what Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) officials wanted, so Eipperle said they switched it.

There are many items with the project they are addressing, he said, such as doors in rough shape and electrical maintenance. As a result of the additional items, Eipperle said he will more likely be back for approval of future change orders.

Fortunately, he said the project is still $2 million under budget, which will allow the district to address the maintenance issues. It will also be easier since the necessary contractors are already on site.

Board Member Leah Stanley asked Eipperle if the project is still under contingency, and he told her that was correct with a project cost of $8.4 million.

“Initially, it was $10.6 million,” Eipperle said.

Stanley asked if the project was still going to cost less than the original budget, even with all of the change orders, and Eipperle said that was correct.

He said some of the teachers need to be trained on the proper way to use some of the upgraded equipment.

“They’re different than anything the teachers have used before,” Eipperle said. “That is part of the full sequence of the close-out that is underway. We will probably be working through the details for at least the next two weeks to a month.”

Board Member Karina Hernandez said she had noticed the new furniture and was told the project is still waiting for the arrival of some cabinets.

“Well, from what I know, it’s very nice furniture,” she said.

Construction on the CTE wing, which hosts classes such as industrial arts, agriculture, science and consumer science began in May and was slated to be completed in the middle of September.

——

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.