By Brian L. Gray

The Mandan School Board received estimates on the cost of renovating the Mandan Community Center, and the price tag was more than expected.

Last Monday the school board heard from Architect Al Fitterer at its regular meeting, finding out that the cost to remodel the facility to suit its purposes would be $2.5 million. The cost would cover renovating the Community Center’s offices and gymnasium. This estimate was $800,000 higher than the board anticipated.

The discussion then began on how this cost could be paid for. The 2005 bond issue that was voted on to use nearly $700,000 to renovate the Great Plains Academy cannot be transferred to the Mandan Community Center, as advised by the Attorney General, leaving those funds unable to be used.

One option to fund the project is to use federal stimulus money. The school district received $2.9 million from the stimulus, $1.3 of which has yet to be spent.

The estimated cost to renovate the GPA for administrative offices is $1.7 million, which was another option. Doing this, however, would not fulfill the need for making additional space for classrooms, like the carpentry department or alternative day programs.

Another option presented by Fitterer was to renovate the Community Center in phases. It would be possible, he said, to add administrative offices and a classroom for the alternative day program and the interactive television classroom in the first phase for $1.4 million.

A community forum between the city commission, park board, school board and the public was held two days later to discuss the future of the Mandan Community Center.

The majority of the discussion revolved around the issue of funding. In regard to finding funds for the Community Center, the school board said in addition to federal money, another estimated $420,000 could be used if the Central Administrative Building is sold.

If the Community Center is not purchased by the school district, other options were looked at to address the high school’s need for more space. Adding another building west, or behind, the auditorium remains a possibility.

Neither entity plans to raise property taxes, it was also addressed. Even with the need to find more money to fix the Community Center, School Board President Kirsten Baesler told the audience the school board does not plan to raise taxes.

This declaration was also echoed by the park district, who faces the task of finding a new place for its administrative offices if the school district takes over the Community Center. The park board is also planning to build a new recreation and fitness center if the school purchases the facility.

The park district is discussing plans to create a 25,000 square foot rec center, which would be built in two phases. The first phase would include construction of a gym, a fitness area, daycare and classrooms. The second phase would include additional fitness areas and a walking track. All told, the project would take about 18 months to complete and cost an estimated $6.5 million.

Another joint meeting with the community will be scheduled sometime in September. By the time the next meeting takes place, the school board said it will come back with more ideas on how to fund the remodeling of the Community Center.