001Honestly, it was just amazing. We do have a quorum with everyone here. To the flag of the United States of American son from the BFT representative and Dan McGee from his under business bone mind. What is it? >> Building mind and body. There you go. >> Dan, come sit up here if you want. You're going to be talking to us any business. I guess you want any public comment or conversation from anybody. If not, we'll write in the action items. Go ahead first if you one more consideration possible action out of state and overnight students who wish to participate in the FFA national convention that's later this month I'm late in the month of October and so I talked to Mr. I go or bay visor and anytime there's an overnight trip or out of
002state this case it's both it needs board freedom and so this has just historically this has been a trip that the board has approved in the past several I want to say it's close to 20 teams close to 20 >> I move to approve the out of state overnight trip for FFA national convention been moved and seconded to approve the state overnight trip to the national convention for FFA. Any discussion? >> I just question. Didn't we already approve this last May? >> I thought we did too, but >> because he wanted to get approval so we could get better rates on airlines. So just questioning that. You already do that. >> That's a good question. >> I think we might have but I guess Denver to do it again. >> Yeah, he came and asked
003me so. That's not down. >> Maybe just double sure. >> I do kind of remember a conversation about wanting to book stuff ahead of slot in some rates. >> Yeah. So, good. Well, we got a little impressive. I >> two board consideration and possible action to hide Dan McGee building land and body as the district's owner representative to manage the visa building with say I can't say enough good about David what he's done he came in with a bad situation and any 45 lost their head guy and Williams Consulting did quit and Dan came in and picked up the ball for us and has done super and the way he led us through the mediation deal was phenomenal. So >> I would say we worked with the University I highly recommend that >> I worked
004with him with the YMCA. He was absolutely outstanding there. Doesn't anybody have anything bad? >> Any pizza? >> So, do motion that we hire as the district's owner representative project. >> Second. >> Been moved and seconded to hire Dan McGee as the owner's rep for this next process of our project. Is there any discussion? Any in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed. This is unanimously. >> Three board consideration and possible action to solicit qualifications and proposals of architectural firms via a public RFP process or select and negotiate directly with an architectural firm with the visa building. Two options there. consider. >> Dan, you're kind of up if you want to kind of talk about maybe kind of explain to us what you've done and where you think we are. >> Okay. Um, so through
005this process, there's one thing that's nice about the state of Montana is attorneys and architects could be direct select. We don't have to go out for an RFQ. Um, so that's why that's either or. Okay. So the districts has had you know NE45 was our architect directive for all districts. Um you know throughout the process I think unfortunately they were dealt a difficult hand with the general contracting partner that was hired initially. Um so I you know I feel confident that there's there's knowledge there that's valuable to the district long term. Um but also I've talked to other architects too that would be interested in soliciting you know responding with qualification requests. Um so the the two paths are different. Um we can go out and and go direct select somebody or we can go
006through that process. Uh difference is is we can go start negotiating now try to get so we can get started a little bit quicker. Um, you know, I I looked at I went through schedule um and actually visited with Swank Enterprises who um wherever there might be some other opportunity to do make a request or vote from the board on that matter. time later, but talk a little bit about schedule of all right, how would this work with school and sessioning and really a lot of the major repairs are going to be associated with the windows and then the shop side of the building. So, the south end where you know we're not currently meeting energy to the lack of insulation. So, a lot of that work can be happening during school. you know, um
007obviously there's roto hammering and coordination of schedules to make sure we're not structuring classes, but they don't have to necessarily be inside the building right away. Um but getting documents far enough to where we can actually get these early in year would be an advantage just so that we they can manage or beat any kind of price hikes. A lot of those happen late April, early May in anticipation of the summer delivery. Well, if we can kind of accelerate, get ahead of that, get get good numbers early in the year, get that stuff contracted, there's some advantages to hopefully maybe, you know, buy some more work, uh, get as much and get that all complete and then maybe have some funds to do any other work that the district deems. So, um, I'm confident in
008both paths. Um, I have had a conversation, like I said, with several local Missoula firms, probably smaller ones that are going to be a little bit more willing to come for a project of this size. So, you know, I'm kind of looking that, you know, we're going to be in that million dollar range. That's not a ton of fees for somebody to travel through. Um, but, you know, I've also talked to 45 and they're wanting to see this project through. I think again I feel strongly that different general contract we probably wouldn't have been in the situation that we were in. So um feel confident that saying that again not going back to not that I don't have faults but I would be able to hopefully manage that differently and control and and create a
009better outcome. So that's the reason it's kind of worded the way it is. um RFQ process would be if that if that's what the board decides, I would draft and prepare a RFQ document to put as an action item for the the 20th to go out and again we can go out to select architects or we can broadcast it on the planning exchange and then every design firm that gets access to the Montana market would have then we all put a legal ad in the local paper for that as Well, we'd have to do it um two consecutive weeks three times and then we would come together at another meeting, you know, to do interviews or use qualifications to select there. Again, then it's going back to the point and I would begin the negotiation
010process, get the proposal from them or the scope that we define and that would all be laid out in the artic so they know what they're getting into. Um, so most likely that will take um, so from Monday we we could get it advertised again this Wednesday uh, May 2nd. Um, and then we'd have couple weeks. So it would be hope to get uh, somebody so that in the November board meeting we can get somebody on board kind of at the fastest during that process. If you went ahead and said, "Hey, let's let's go ahead and stay on the horse." We we have um I would leave tonight, I'd go to vote, develop the scope, get a proposal, negotiate with them right now, uh to devel you guys a potential cost to be improved at
011your port. So, we could we could gain maybe a month of design time. Then I can do the qualifications, get a contractor selected, deploy in the year, and then start early in 2026. Those are the steps that well then if we if we did go, excuse me, with any 45, not that money is a factor, but yet it is. >> How much cheaper would it be to go with any 45 where they already have the plans and know everything that's been going on? Do you have any idea on that? >> Um I would imagine you know so architects will start off if you ask them they'll say 10%. And then we kind of define what the scope is. Smaller projects like this they're going to start creeping up to 12 to try to get 12
012to 15%. I think that you're going to have probably about a 5% advantage on somebody new coming try and learn what the project is and really understand >> around $50,000 roughly. Yeah, that's kind of it's kind of where you know I'd like to keep them under 50 is what what my goal would be is to really define the scope in a way that um getting a good qualified general contractor on board early enough where doesn't have to be that robust because there is going to be a lot of all right how are we going to attach whatever this scheme looks like um and I would imagine in the design process we'll have a building meeting of some sort whether it's a committee because obviously we're going from a masonry building that we're have to do
013something with the exterior to add that insulation back. So is that metal, you know, insulated metal panels? Is it some kind of a combination of different framing with different materials so that we can get that? Those are some things that the then the contractors can come on board and say, "Hey, here's the material we used. I can get this cheaper than what you're currently designing. here's the pros and cons. Present that back to the committee and say, "Are we comfortable with a metal skin on that building?" And then, you know, because obviously the community paid for a masonry building and it's going to be hard to go back and look at all right now it looks like another building, you know. So, there's architecturally we want to make sure it's a good design. Um driving
014their cost down so that we can afford to maybe find a nicer solution as well. And I think there would be probably a financial benefit to do something that hit the ground with already ideas of the solution versus somebody coming in to learn it. I do have a small firm in Missoula uh that has worked on the university that is interested and would be willing to work the district. However, probably could get her in a similar price range, but she's going to have a lot steer. But there's people out there that want to work in the community because of the university and getting to know people. Um, so I I don't worry too much about getting responses. Um, just don't know where they come from. >> What about the money that any 45 still owes
015us from the original remodel project? >> We need something that we would love to negotiate. So if we were in, you know, that 45 to 50 range, I'd say, well, we'll go ahead and if you want to do that as a deduct as your your commitment that you've already made to the district to see if we can drive that down to 35. >> Yeah. >> Just a question. >> Yeah. Do you in your role, do you have any concerns about NE45 as someone who has worked on this project to date having preconceived notions or maybe not um thinking about you know like they already have an answer in mind and not thinking about the possibilities or the options. Is that anything that you're concerned about with that? >> No. During the many of the walkthroughs
016we had on trying to figure out the building, you know, they they had already realized, hey, there's some things with these windows that maybe they weren't be were willing to come to the table and and help the district fund some of those things. So, I know that they thought about the window solutions, the skinning, they they put a scope together. This is the first uh it would have been when we were just finishing the BW Lodge. Would that have been 223 >> 21 they developed hey here's a masonry option here's a whether it's brick or a block metal insulated panels and we go to the inside to do. So they they had several ideas or concepts and then that's where the initial pricing started. You know, we were at >> all the way from 900
017down to like $400,000. >> Um I don't think they would they would push back on on us if we said, you know, we need to try to find a hey, maybe we frame it and we put a thin, you know, veneer brick on it. Maybe we can get that solution so we have a similar look. Yeah, >> I think that and again we drive that as the owner. I I help you guys voice what you want and then we we come not not that we force their hand, but it all comes down to price, too. So, if they they may have a solution that's a $2 million solution that we can't. >> So, it's going to be also that we're going to have to be comfortable with a solution that you know we can afford
018to build. question >> you so I'm clear you say going with any save us a month or so that >> yeah it would save us pro it probably minimum a month month and a half >> or again from what you said if we were could save that month and a half we might get a cheaper bid from contractors because they would be more hungry the sooner we get to them possibly. >> Yeah. Yeah. had my conversation with Swank U who I think did a fabulous job on the PW lodge project. They've got a couple of projects going on university currently that timing wise that are going to be kind of getting the end of. So there could be some advantages and for not paying for removal station they can keep that through here. They're not
019having to step trailers down. They're they've already got that person that can stay in in this project. Um, so Shane Austin was our PM on that project who I spoke with. Like we'll do whatever, you know, want to thank you guys for the nice, you know, compliments from your attorney Brad Brown. Um, but once working in the community and we'll be responding to whatever you put out there, which is great. uh and the earlier we can get them on board then it help drive the concepts quicker so that we burn less foods on the architectural side and no matter who it is we want to get we need to have a minimum scope to go through the selection process for a general contractor because it's a qualification and a proposal phase so that proposal phase
020we need to have some information so that they can give us an idea what they think the costs are um not that that's the sole reason to select somebody, but it's a it's a step in the process and that's that's usually the you know five to six week process that we would acceler try to again try to make it as fast as we could so that they're on board and a part of the design structure uh to really help keep our costs checked >> and do you see any disadvantages that need >> um >> and then maybe perception >> perception's probably the visually yep you know and and through the, you know, the legal process. I don't think that that we, and I'll use that as I mean, obviously I work on your guys behalf,
021so I don't have any authority to make decisions or on you on your guys' behalf, but there was never anything negative put out about 45. It was it was really just the the lack of points building. So that would be probably the the biggest is that you know well geez and then if something happened and it turned out not great how does that appear for us only once kind of a negative. >> So that's probably the the really the only qualifications quality I mean they're they're as good as anybody else in the state. Yeah. And from the time you came on board until we were finished with BW Lodge, did you have any problem with all 45 at all? >> No. >> Well, the the uh the principles were engaged. They had a good staff.
022Martina, that was their staff person that ran their contract administration. She was great. Um the the owners are would step up and probably be more involved for this solution. make sure it's right, which is a good thing. We won't get their, you know, CD or ES and I think we would get that. I'm not saying that we wouldn't get that from anybody else. So, don't don't think that, you know, I would I would work, you know, like, you know, the larger firms, you know, Annie, Loom, Paige, Warner, Cushing, Terrell, those guys are going to probably struggle with because they're so big. I think their fees are going to be, you know, 45 still. They're a smaller design firm. Um, so they're going to be probably come in and be electrician, but we'll need to structural
023engineer, you know, and you know, that's nice. They they'll go out and hire consultants. Some of those other bigger firms have them all in house and so their fees tend to reflect that. So two of I mentioned in Missoula, you know, 45 there's a smaller up in Helena that I'm sure would be interested in in looking at it. So there's there's folks out there that are all qualified to do it. Then it kind of comes down to what our gut feel is because we're not asking necessarily for a cost right away. So it would be a select them then negotiate and then get them going. Good question because that's that's my you know like I said we haven't said anything negative about it. It's you know I mean it's beautiful building just unfortunately it was
024construction quality was not the only other board members thoughts or Josh do you have any thoughts? I just say and I have a chance to kind of just chat individually before the meeting and and really tough decision. Um, you know, I guess the choice comes down to moving forward quickly, being patient with our options are out there. Um, and realizing that there are pros and cons to each of those, right? If if we wait a little bit, we might lose out on some contractors. So, I mean, it's it's it's almost a crapshoot. Again, I think Dan's reputation speaks itself. And so, I would defer to Dan. Any recommendation that that he would make, I would support is I he knows as our owner rep that his his name would be on the line, too. And
025I can appreciate that. We if we're able with any 45 and gaining them there and you know working it with with swank essentially we'll probably need a couple months on the back end too of the finished product right like I mean it could be three four months. >> Yeah. Not that we want to rush through this but this has been going on for half a decade. Can I say that? Yeah. >> Feel like it's time that board member this gets button the community. They don't think I don't like but to me saving and yeah and he's is qualified certainly swank there's really nobody better. I mean there's the big four or five in the state and they're one of them. >> Yep. And so to me, getting both of those two on board and maybe
026finishing this four months and saving some bucks along the way, I think it to me it's no brainer. But uh again, I just I would defer those that know the builder better, you obviously. But yeah, the so the exterior fix would be half of them all going and it would be the when they pull those windows out that'll happen that that first part of June soon the students are out then they'll be ready with all the product that they need to to do those fixes. Um you know so that's we're buying that knowing that we're not starting somebody in May. We're actually starting in probably March and we're out of your hair before students are back near. >> Yeah. They might not get done before students get back the other way around, right? That's because
027they're going to, you know, pulling those those windows is going to be a big effort because on the classroom side, those are all wood frame walls, insulated sheetrock. Well, when we pull those windows out, we're going to be extending sills, but we also need to open those walls up to see if there's any water damage or molds or things that because we we couldn't test those. We didn't open those walls up to see what if there were failures there. Now, the sides of the building they're on, the ones I would have the most concern would be the western this western one classroom. North, I don't think probably had as much direct rain and wind. And then the east side with those homes that are on it that are, you know, probably less concerning that there
028would be, but we would probably as we pull those out see if there's any indication of water and start to explore down. So there's some sheetrock repair and then it would all happen that early summer. But the rest of it would be ready to just fold into a chop, extend whatever they need to to those windows and button up so they're out of here back. >> Yeah. And I think I mean there's a definite advantage getting the contract together with the architect as early as possible because you guys actually making the repairs up times especially on a remodel. You know, not everything the architect draws up works well in a remodel. So, we have a little more time to have those two parties collaborating. I guess be nice. Come up with good ideas. Well, I
029think Swank's a great great company. They've done a lot of work in the university system. I think they're possibly going to be done with block hall next spring, aren't they? >> Be done early. They've been >> there. Nothing but good about them. So, I'm kind of like Phil tired of hearing about it. Yeah, swipe would have to still go through a qualification to proposal step, but I mean they're they're ready for as soon as it hits the street. you know, when I'm working with um state to understand how quickly we can do it and what what amount of scope definition are they going to need to be able to formulate proposals of their response because it needs to be it's going to be broadcast and you know others you know some I would imagine some
030smaller general contractors would tok at it not necessarily the big guys just because the size of it. Um then again you start I start to go okay well how because the other side of it too is with I'll develop a proposal on hey this is what I think it's going to take for me and I've got somebody that I have to kind of stand on a lot more and that's more time that I need to be on site if I've got somebody that's qualified. I mean, with the BW Lodge, I was able to go from set a weekly on-site OAC meetings because of the technology they use for photos tracking the project. I was able to do a remote meeting and then do it every other. So, it saved dollars on my fees to where
031I didn't have to necessarily drive down every, you know. So, th those are those are all positive things when you get a bigger firm. some of those smaller firms don't have that technology to or you know it's because it's very expensive the software that a lot of them use there's some advantages of you know knowing that they're still interested and want to be part of the solution but I don't know if we're willing to be aggressive with it uh to make sure that we can get as much scope you know get that fixed and any other things that I know that we left >> that we had as alternates on the BW Lodge project were part of the kind of list in the in the Holland um that maybe we can tap some of those
032other things if they are still a priority. >> Sure. >> They had the most of the architectural firm that that you've been that you know of and in consultation they have a good working relationship with with a contractor like blank. >> Yes. Yeah. All the all the firms that I know that school work are used to working with all of the big guys. Um, you know, Bartell's another good one that, you know, that Bosezeman market, they may be interested, but theirs are buried in in the Boseman, you know, I don't know that they would pull off for this. Um but all the firms know who they work with know who they have to work with and and the preconstruction piece that swank or their their head estimator up in Dallas would be integral to this
033they work with 45 so they know one another and they work with fish and tar they work with new page owner and so they they're you know again they're all comfortable with working with a company like this I guess my thoughts kind of along the same line as Bill and Cole and Mike. Um, of course I was involved from the get-go and um the few little ripples we had in the road with NE45. I mean, they were going through some problems, too. they lost their head guy and you know they were willing to fix this out here and it did quickly and without any arguments or whatever and admitted that they had made some mistakes and um once Dan came on board and we were in the process of winding down with the boag building
034and starting on the BW lodge building. Um in my opinion any 45 was excellent to work with. you know, Ben was and that Martina that came in was just outstanding, I felt. So, you know, both from our experience with them plus from saving money plus the time factor, plus maybe sending saving money on a contractor coming on earlier. I mean, I guess personally, I would prefer to just go with any 45 and speed up the process. How do the rest of you guys feel? feels like they're highly motivated to make this right because >> which I would be too, >> you know, I would want to make it right so that my name was, you know, a project that that ended on a positive note. I think there's something of value in that. I don't
035think they will let this fail >> personally. Is you okay? >> Yeah, I am. You can join. >> Yep. >> Well, so what do you want us to do, Dan? Make a make a motion to allow you to contact AB45 directly and start working negotiations. And my goal would be to be able to present you guys back a proposal with scope for your next 20th. Yep. Okay. >> Well, I'm sure good with that. If everything else is, if somebody would make a motion, um, we could go ahead. >> I want to make a motion that Dan can um, negotiate directly with any 45 on the Visa building for the repair project. >> Second. >> It been moved and seconded to give Dan the authority to meet with any 45 to start the proposal. to get
036us going and have something back by the 20th of October. There any discussion from anyone? >> I'll say I >> unanimously >> we need to continue with no >> I think so >> that took care of that I think. So >> well good. Um Dan, I appreciate you coming down. And >> listen, is there I had one comment a request on the for the board. Um as I mentioned with Brad Brown, he had sent an email thanking Rank and Shane Austin for putting some the budgets together. I'd love to be able to send them a formal thank you from the board just as a for step. I mean, they did that in really short order. down a lot of information uh and it just really helped and you know and even if it's you know
037we can do it down the road but it's just something I've been thinking about just as you do that on our behalf. >> I can draft one and then I would send it through. Have you guys >> Okay. >> Yep. >> And it would go a long way. >> Yeah. They they did that within a couple weeks and they got this learn Associates Yep. expert report had about 14 days to do it and there was just a written definition of it. It was a lot of little pieces that they had to go in and did a great job on budgeting. Had a great full schedule of values. So, and we could pick it apart pretty easy if they needed to. >> So, I think that's great. Everybody else okay with that? >> Yep. Yeah, they
038really helped us a bunch. >> I would just say I would just say, you know, good job getting it done. I think I think it's the best >> Y >> um steps forward for the district. >> Yep. >> Well, now we're we're looking at positive things now from here on out, you know, so >> taxpayers can get what they pass the bond issue for, you know, by the time we're done here. We hope so. And like Dan says, maybe we can try to do some things at the BW Lodge. If we ran out of money one day, we could maybe >> do that concession booth, some things like that. I did talk to Pierce Rouse about that incidentally and he said that um that brick wall >> is a foamy wall. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's
039not structural. >> I guess it's not structural at all. In fact, he he he said they put the brick on it in the mid 80s, probably 15 years after the building had been built. I kind of thought it was a structural wall. So, that probably would be the way to go would be to go out. >> Yeah, we'd be kidding. So, anyway, that may or may not happen, but be nice to get it done if we could. So, okay. Is there any other business to come before the board or anybody have anything? Dan, any other comments? >> No, thank you for trusting me and I'm looking forward to getting this thing put you laugh when we were doing the mediation. It's almost time to remodel the building. >> Anyway, somebody would make a motion to
040adjourn until we October 20th. A motion. Second move and seconded to adjurnn. Those in favor say I. Those opposed, >> did you have any questions? I'm sorry. >> Yes.