RRMR takes next step in facility improvement plans

By Mary Pieper, Special to the Press

The Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock School Board approved a design contract Monday with SitelogIQ, a Minneapolis firm that addresses facility needs, as its next step in future building improvement plans.

Those plans consist of infrastructure improvement in the K-12 building and gym, space for day care, a recreation/wellness center, and a solar field.

The RRMR School Board set those priorities during a special meeting in June.

SitelogIQ partners with customers to help them improve the health and safety of their buildings while making them more energy efficient and sustainable, according to the business.

The RRMR K-12 facility was mostly built between 1989 and 1991, but some parts are from 1960, according to Superintendent Todd Liechty.

“Since that time our building has been very well taken care of, but the systems are aging,” he said. “Many of them are past their expected lifespan. A few are not as efficient, nor do they meet today’s standards and expectations.”

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system needs to be updated to exchange the air in the building rather than recirculating the same air, according to Liechty. He said the air needs to be filtered and treated as it comes in, mainly to dehumidify it.

“There are also boilers that should be replaced before they go kaput,” he said.

The gym area is heated by the oldest boiler system in the building, according to Liechty. That boiler is original to the 1960 construction.

The building also has electrical needs. Liechty said the light fixtures in the facility can remain the same and just be rewired for LED lights.

RRMR is also considering using some of its current facility space for community day care or building new space.

Although some day care services are available in the RRMR district, families say there aren’t enough providers, according to Liechty.

“RRMR loses students to neighboring districts where our parents work,” he said. “They take their little ones to day care and the kids get to know other kids from that district so they attend school there. … We’d like to fill the gap for our community and hopefully keep more RRMR children in our district.”

A solar field would lower the district’s electricity costs, which are currently around $14,000 a month, according to Liechty.

“Right now, we’re looking at allowing an investor to build the field and then sell us the electricity at a rate lower than we pay from the current provider,” he said.

The proposed recreation facility would be used by both the school district and the public, according to Liechty.

“Our current facilities get used a great deal and the community struggles to find places to have additional activities,” he said. “Adding locker rooms and gym space would benefit both the school and community.”

Community members could buy memberships to access the recreation facility outside the school day and community and school-based groups could rent/use the space as it is available.

As far as a timeline for the four facilities projects, Liechty said infrastructure needs and creation of day care space will probably be first on the list.

“The solar field will go as fast as we can find a partner to construct it and get it up and running,” he said.

The wellness/recreation facility will likely be the final project.

Bonding against the district’s penny sales tax funds should be sufficient to complete infrastructure needs and day care space, as well as at least part of the recreation/wellness center, according to Liechty.

However, he said the district may need more funds from community partners or a general obligation bond that would require public approval to compete the rec center, he said.