Building Committee meets with architect, School Board
The Building Committee for Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) has been charged with developing a long-range facilities plan for the district to review and consider for implementation. The committee is still in the conceptual phase, with “a lot of work underway to determine priorities in all aspects of the educational and facilities needs of the community,” shares Tim Swoboda, MLPS School Board Vice-Chair and Building Committee member.
Additional members of the Building Committee are Cheri Hanson, Jerry Haberman, Bruce Swanson, Bryan Bargen, Vern Peterson, Tom Appel, Shawn Naas and John Carrison.
The committee recently held a pair of meetings. The first was a brainstorming session with architect, Paul Youngquist of Architects Rego + Youngquist, Inc. (ARY) of St. Louis Park. In the second meeting, the entire MLPS School Board joined in on the discussion.
At the Thursday, March 24 meeting between the committee and architect, several areas were discussed, including what to do with the 1890 building, how to update the boiler room, what is needed in the indoor swimming pool area and addressing security issues. Swoboda notes that other topics of discussion were geared towards, “the direction and needs for early childhood, special education, classrooms, science labs, band and choir space – including practice rooms – common areas, locker rooms, fitness room auditorium and technology needs.”
He additionally stresses that there is a need to better understand early childhood, the Head Start building, the costs of operating and maintaining the pool and the benefits to either upgrade or replace the 1890 building. The committee also reviewed a list of mechanical and electrical improvements needed with Youngquist. They worked to prioritize what needs to be done now, what can be done in the next 5-10 years and what can be in the long-range plan (identified as – priority one maintenance, priority two and priority three).
The Building Committee also met with School Board members (Chair Doug Standerwick, Vice-Chair Tim Swoboda, Clerk Julie Brugman, Treasurer Pam Hoek and Directors Tom Fast, Matt Gohr and Chad Pedersen, as well as MLPS Superintendent Bill Strom) on Monday, April 4 to review progress.
Over the next several months, Youngquist will continue to work with administration and staff to further define facility needs before the committee moves on to the design phases of a facility plan. The Building Committee will meet again in a couple of months, once some of this research and discussion has been accomplished.
Once a facility proposal/plan is approved, it will be presented to the School Board for consideration and approval.
When a facility proposal/plan is approved by the School Board – the Building Committee will join the school board in conducting public information meetings.
About Paul Youngquist and ARY
ARY is a planning and design firm that specializes in community facilities in the State of Minnesota. A complete range of architectural and engineering services has been provided to public organizations since 1956 including master planning, new facilities, remodeling and accessibility studies. The educational facilities market constitutes the largest specialty group within the firm. That experience in serving school districts and communities for 40 years has allowed ARY to see the changing faces of education. ARY is proud of its team’s experience, creativity, practical approach to design and attentive follow-through in every step of your project.
Youngquist is ARY’s Principal-in-Charge with 30 years of experience in the design and construction of educational and institutional facilities. As a school architect, he has worked with school communities at all levels of facility improvement – from planning and analysis to new facilities, additions and renovation work. His duties include project management, planning, design, cost estimating, survey and facility reports, specification writing and site observations. He is involved in the data gathering and design phases, and will supervise the production of construction documents and construction administration. Youngquist graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 1974 with a Bachelor of Architecture.
The firm was selected last year by the school board and building committee from the four that submitted interest.