CONTRIBUTED PHOTO GMG Community School District’s secondary campus in Garwin, including the main gym (left), pictured in January 2025. After Memorial Day this year, GMG plans to begin construction on its new middle/high school addition east of the gym in space currently occupied by a parking lot. The 1925 building, visible on the right side of the photo, will eventually be demolished.

GARWIN — In less than two months, construction is set to begin on GMG Community School District’s new $12.3 million secondary addition in Garwin, paid for with general obligation bond revenues, following the school board’s approval in February of the final bid packages.

“We have been moving along in the pre-construction phase of the project now that all contractors have been awarded bids,” Superintendent Chris Petersen’s report stated during the regular monthly board meeting held on Monday, March 23 in Green Mountain. “We held a pre-construction meeting on March 18 with all contractors and continue to hold some final design meetings. We plan to have contractors start once students are out of the building, which will be after Memorial Day (May 25).”

During an early morning special board meeting held on Friday, Feb. 20 at GMG Elementary in Green Mountain, school directors present — vice president Kristine Kienzle, Rod Claassen, Lacey Boege, Blake Warren, Kyle Warren — reviewed bids received for the addition’s general trades package (Work Package No. 1). Four bids were reviewed, including Garling Construction (Belle Plaine) for $4,957,471; Cardinal Construction (Waterloo) for $4,961,500; Peak Construction Group (North Liberty) for $5,196,000; and Unzeitig Construction (Cedar Rapids) for $5,890,000.

The board unanimously approved awarding the general trades contract to the lowest bidder, Garling Construction.

“The base bids are within the bid budget for this scope of work. We have interviewed the above company, and we believe they are capable and qualified for this project,” SitelogIQ project manager Adam Cox wrote in a letter to GMG Superintendent Chris Petersen recommending Garling.

Public projects completed by Garling Construction in the area include the Marshalltown Police & Fire building and the South Tama Middle School.

Earlier in the Feb. 20 meeting, the board approved a separate motion to reject a request from Graphite Construction to waive their bid irregularity after the company — which had initially submitted a low bid of $4,447,000 — indicated that they had made an error on their bid form and were unable to stand behind their bid as read in the public bid opening.

Additional bid packages

Prior to awarding the general trades contract, Work Packages No. 2, 3, 4, and 5 for the addition were reviewed and unanimously awarded by the board during the regular monthly meeting held in Garwin back on Feb. 9.

Two bids were received for the mechanical bid package (Work Package No. 2), including Cedar Rapids-based B.G. Brecke Inc. for $2,566,280, and Waterloo-based Young Plumbing & Heating for $2,846,000. Both bids also included an alternate amount for the ceiling gym grid with Brecke bidding $6,540 for the work and Young bidding $4,676.

The board unanimously approved Brecke’s bid for the project.

Four bids were received for the electrical bid package (Work Package No. 3); each bid included a base bid plus alternate bids for a fire alarm system and gym ceiling. Bids received included:

–NAI Electrical Contractors: $739,690 base bid; $813,865 total bid

–Van Maanen Electric Inc: $734,000 base bid; $822,390 total bid

–K&W Electric Inc: $727,227 base bid; $834,131 total bid

–Community Electric Inc: $894,100 base bid; $1,010,210 total bid

The board unanimously approved Ames-based NAI Electrical Contractors’ low total bid for the project.

The board received only one bid for controls work (Work Package No. 4) — Woodman Controls Company of Urbandale for $267,950. The bid was unanimously approved.

The board also received only one bid for testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) work (Work Package No. 5) — Systems Management & Balancing of Waukee for $23,430. The bid was unanimously approved.

Finally, the board approved a bid for door security software for the new addition from Walsh Doors, the district’s current provider, for $54,908.71. As part of the contract, Walsh will add 11 doors of card access to the district’s current system.

Bond referendum, project timeline

On Nov. 5, 2024, GMG successfully passed on its first try a $12.3 million bond referendum to build, furnish, and equip a new middle/high school addition to replace Garwin’s deteriorating 1925 building which is part of the district’s 7-12 campus. The public measure, which required a supermajority to pass, sailed through with 66.3 percent support (654 votes).

The two-story secondary addition is set to be built adjacent to the main gymnasium on its east side in space currently being utilized as a school parking lot.

According to Petersen, the initial timeline for the addition remains in place with student occupancy planned for the start of the 2027-28 school year. Construction is slated to begin at the end of next month and continue through the 2026-27 school year.

“The demolition of the 1925 building is tentatively slated to occur during the summer of 2028,” Petersen informed the board during the March 23 meeting. “That building will still be able to be used for the 2026-27 school year while construction of the addition occurs.”

Per previous Sun Courier reporting, the school board plans to use SAVE/PPEL (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education/Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) funds to demolish the old building meaning no further bond referendums are planned at this time for the project.