BTEC public forum provides feedback

The Blackfoot Technical Education Center Bond Committee held its first public forum on Wednesday night following their board meeting at the Nuart Theater.

The one-hour question and answer session provided important feedback to the committee as well as starting a dialogue between both sides of the debate regarding the future of the education system in the area.

Ron Murray, chairman of the BTEC committee, stood at the podium ready to answer questions and concerns presented to him from the community. Most of the questions swirled around financial questions and how the proposed bond will not impact taxes as much as the Blackfoot Performing Arts Center bond did when the dollar amount is higher or how they will ensure each earmarked item will be completed accordingly.

https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os1.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os2.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os3.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os4.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os5.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os6.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os7.html

https://www.maquett.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs1.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs2.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs3.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs4.html
https://www.maquett.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs5.html

https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os1.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os2.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os3.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os4.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os5.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os6.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-Az-v-Ajax-os7.html

https://starfurn.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs1.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs2.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs3.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs4.html
https://starfurn.nl/Video-fy-v-pv-vs5.html

https://vocus.cc/article/60169c34fd8978000133cf68

https://vocus.cc/article/60169b55fd8978000133cac9

https://vocus.cc/article/60169871fd8978000133c604

https://vocus.cc/article/60168a9efd8978000133b056

Primarily, the concerns over taxes and the cost incurred by each property owner in the city proved to be a topic of interest for community members in attendance.

One audience member asked about the grant funds Blackfoot qualifies for and what would happen if the grant dollars fell through. Murray explained that those dollars, although they cannot be guaranteed until after the bond passes, have not been factored into the total amount on the unlikely chance that they were not awarded to Blackfoot. He also explained that those dollars are highly expected to be granted if/when the bond passes.

Other financial concerns were expressed by city councilman Chris Jensen who was in attendance. He noted that as a sitting member of the local government, when projects like this are presented, they receive estimates on what each part will cost so they can more narrowly explain the reasoning of the figures being presented for a project.

Murray’s answer to the question was similar — the committee has received bids from the construction management company, Headwaters, who has provided real-time figures for the cost of materials to the estimated cost of each of the projects.

The dataset introduced by Headwaters during their initial presentation to the committee provided these numbers, as well as additional dollar amounts for making minor adjustments. Any and all adjustments that are required following the planning process generally go through a change order (CO) process, which involves a formal request from the contractor to change materials, modify an original plan to better suit the building process, or because something was unavailable and would not be obtainable for a reasonable value.

Change orders are part of nearly every construction project and can be financially beneficial to the original estimate or probative to the original cost if an alteration cannot be made. These fluctuations are the reasoning for a percentage barrier in the dollar amount and were factored into the suggested amount provided by Headwaters.

Murray and Blackfoot School District Superintendent Brian Kress both admitted that not being able to state that they are 100 percent sure that everything can be accomplished to the maximum visualization has always been a concern of theirs but have been reassured there should be no issue with completing the project with the bonded amount.

The concerns about completion were also well met with answers by Murray as well as responses on the Facebook Live comment section. One member of the community was curious about the time frame of the building project and when it would be completed. Another questioner was curious how they plan to start as soon as possible without plans already being drawn.

Both questions received similar answers, including that the time frame would have a start date of 2022, with building the elementary school first so they could then repurpose I.T. Stoddard Elementary into the BTEC, and the athletic fields would be worked on during the same time frame, and the need for drawings at this point would be a financial burden that does not need to be endured without definitive support of the bond from the community. Headwaters has built similar sized schools in districts to the north and have shown some of the drawings as examples of what could be in committee meetings, but the architect firm that the Blackfoot School Board contracted will design a set of plans to meet the needs of the district.