Video courtesy of 489 News
By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
Three architecture firms offered presentations to the Hays USD 489 Board of Education during Monday night’s special board meeting.
All are vying for the position as the creative force behind getting a bond issue to pass for USD 489.
Last year’s bond was soundly defeated by voters, which lead the BOE to bring in the firms of Hollis and Miller; Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey; and DLR Group for the presentations.
All three firms emphasized how community involvement — and involvement with everyone in the district ranging from kitchen staff to students – is critical in a successful bond issue.
“This is the fun process. This is how they get passed, getting the community behind it, getting the staff involved. That’s how you get a bond issue to be successful,” said Kirk Horner, president of educational planning for Hollis and Miller.
All firms that presented had Hays ties.
Kevin Nelson, client leader for Hollis and Miller, is a 1985 Hays High School graduate, Amber Beverlin, principal for DRL Group has family in Hays, and SJCF mentioned people in their firm also have Hays ties.
“We would love to travel back and meet the people and the area we know,” Dana Taylor, SJCF, said.
Hollis and Miller focused on their process-oriented nature and was the only firm that was 100 percent focused on education.
Hollis and Miller breaks its firm down into three sectors — Public K-12, Private K-12 and High Education.
“Each group has its own team that specializes in that type of work, so you know you are getting the best,” Horner said.
Hollis and Miller had the longest presentation on the evening, as they broke down different steps for each process they go through to make a bond successful.
“We are very process-rich,” Horner said.
Each process presented had seven steps, which Hollis and Miller use to build the community and client trust to make sure both the community and client know the plan is in-depth.
“We want to work with you every step of the way to make sure you the client and us the designer can make something we can both be proud of,” said Michelle Chavey, Client Leader for Hollis and Miller.
One of the processes touched on was their credibility and financial responsibility.
“Here at Hollis and Miller, we are about long-range planning, to make sure you are set up properly and the foundation is laid,” Nelson said.
Before Superintendent John Thissen joined USD 489, he was the superintendent at USD 487 Herington and hired Hollis and Miller for a successful bond campaign after the previous election failed.
“That was one of our most rewarding projects for our firm,” Horner said.
Hollis and Miller touted the firm’s track record in getting bond issues to pass for educational purposes.
According to Horner, the firm of Hollis and Miller has done over 1,600 projects.
SJCF honed in on family in what was the quickest presentation on the night.
“Our clients are an extension of our family,” Taylor said.
SJCF spoke on collaboration from the whole community is key to getting a bond issues to pass.
“You need collaboration from all aspects of Hays life,” Taylor said. “Community engagement is the difference.”
SJCF is a diversified firm that does many projects outside of school bond elections, but still has helped pass 26 bond elections in the last 10 years.
The final firm to present was DLR Group.
“No one you spoke to tonight as passed a bond issues west of Salina for more than $50 million, but us,” Troy Wade, Expertise said. “Western Kansas, we have a 100 percent success rate.”
DLR Group presented a three-step process of data-driven community, customized vision of Hays, and examples of their proven bond election success.
Jim French, Senior Principal and Global K-12 Leader of DRL Group, has led the design of more than $1.5 billion in educational facilities and is a part of a group that is considered No. 1 firm in the United States, according to the America Institute of Architects.
“We run a lot of bonds and the firm is No. 1 in the world, but this team here has done bonds all over Kansas,” John Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer said.
Recently, DLR Group completed award-winning work on the bond election in Garden City.
Perhaps the most significant part of their presentation was their explanation how the June bond election failed.
Put on display for members of the board and administration was a map of Hays that showed which houses voted and what they voted for — proprietary information DLR said would be crucial for the next bond issue.
“Think about the power of this gives you towards your potential voter,” Wade said.
All three firms are expected to make one more presentation to the district.