R-XII, SCA build for future, avoid past

Since early 2006, the district has made several changes in how it handles construction, based on the recommendations of the R-XII Construction and Design Task Force and the principles of the district’s Continuous Quality Improvement initiative.

“CQI is basically collaboration with the experts,” said Norman Ridder, Springfield Public Schools superintendent. “You never make a decision in isolation.”

“Collaboration with the experts” in the context of R-XII construction includes the addition of a director of capital construction, regular meetings with Springfield Contractors Association, a trio of in-house construction managers and consulting with a local construction industry veteran.

Scott Wendt is the director of capital construction, a position created in 2006 to oversee the district’s $96.5 million in bond projects.

Wendt has been meeting monthly with SCA’s Springfield Public Schools Liaison Committee.

“I think we’ve had good communication,” he said. “We’ve really focused on moving forward.”

Cliff Kennedy, vice president at Kennedy Contractors Inc. and past president of SCA, agreed.

“We’ve basically changed the focus of the group to deal with current construction and upcoming projects,” he said.

“We’ve tried to move on and build a relationship for the future,” Kennedy added.

Contracting insights

Meetings cover a wide variety of contracting issues, and Wendt said SCA has provided important insights on material and labor shortages, bid scheduling and project scheduling.

“I would say that we’re working very well together,” said architect and SPS Liaison Committee member Ed Waters, who also is an SCA associate member and vice president of design firm Marshall-Waters-Woody and Associates Inc.

“I think a case in point is that our committee and the organization have endorsed the upcoming bond issue,” Waters added.

While committee members had clashed in the past, there are now new members on the committee and new issues to be addressed.

“A couple of years ago, I think there were maybe issues that were more critical, more difficult than what’s going on right now,” Waters added.

In addition to regular meetings with SCA representatives, the district also receives input from consultant Ted Smith, a longtime SCA member and retired president of DeWitt & Associates.

Smith works closely with the district on construction issues, Ridder said.

Meanwhile, the addition of three on-staff construction managers at R-XII is resulting in intensive review of plans and a team approach.

Each construction manager is a point person for specific bond projects, “but collectively, behind the scenes, they all help with review and work together as a team on all projects,” Wendt said.

“I wholeheartedly believe that we’ll see a reduction in change orders, just because we’re catching things on the front end,” he added.

On the horizon

Wendt reports that the district’s bond projects are proceeding well.

Nine of the 10 design concepts for school construction or renovation have been presented to the school board, and construction is under way on additions at Weller Elementary, 1630 N. Weller Ave. and Wilson’s Creek 5-6 School, 4035 W. Weaver Road.

While bids on Weaver Elementary, 1461 N. Douglas Ave. came in too high, the design has been adjusted and it will be rebid soon, Wendt said.

Bids are out on several air-conditioning projects, “then the next piece for us is to do some more engineering selection to continue the design on the remainder of the air conditioning projects,” Wendt said.

Focus on the future

Overall, communication seems to have improved between the district and SCA. But one thing that is not being discussed is the past. And that’s simply standard CQI thinking.

One of the basic tenets of CQI is that most problems are found in processes rather than people, and CQI seeks to improve the processes without assigning blame to individuals.

In other words, rehashing the past is prohibited.

However, that doesn’t mean questions about past problems and conflicts with the district don’t linger.

“I think there are still a lot of people who would like answers to those issues,” Kennedy said. “But we’ve not focused on that.”

Recommendations

In January 2006, the R-XII Construction and Design Task Force issued a list of recommendations addressing major issues between SCA and R-XII. Here are some results:

• Communication: R-XII and SCA representatives meet on a monthly basis to discuss construction issues. R-XII also has brought in retired local contractor Ted Smith, formerly of DeWitt & Associates, as a consultant.

• Standardized Contracts: Following task force recommendations, contract language has been made consistent for school projects. “The feedback we’ve gotten has been pretty positive,” said Scott Wendt, R-XII director of capital construction.

• Prequalification: The district is no longer prequalifying contractors, a practice initiated with the Wilson’s Creek and Parkview school projects. “I don’t want to say we would never do it,” Wendt said, but if R-XII reconsiders prequalification, “I would be working closely with the SCA as to how we do it.”

• Internal Construction Management: R-XII created the position of director of capital construction and has added three in-house construction managers.