The Greene County School Board met in special session Monday.

The School Board heard five different architect firms and their “sales pitches” for a proposed bond referendum that is targeted for April 4, 2018. The project involves creating a regional academy with Iowa Central Community College and building a new high school. The architect firms that were invited to make a 30-minute presentation, followed by a short question period from board members, included: DLR Group based in Des Moines; BLDD Architects based in Davenport; Neumann Monson Architects based in Iowa City; Haila Architecture, Structure and Planning based in Ames; and OPN Architects based in Des Moines.

The DLR Group has worked with Boone School District to pass their bond for a new high school, along with projects in Hubbard-Radcliffe and Gilbert School districts. The firm has an 87-percent success rate at helping to pass bond referendums. They currently have 24 employees and are working with Urbandale School District to pass an upcoming bond next year.

BLDD Architects recently worked with Charles City School District to pass a bond for a new middle school, which included different learning environments for students. Their bond passage percentage was 80-percent and they have 50 employees.

Neumann Monson was responsible for putting together the design layout for the Pella Career Academy. They have been in busy for 40-years and talked about how they do the basics but push the envelope in their projects.

Haila contracts with Modus and Synder and Associates. They have 13 employees and worked with 26 school districts. Ninety-five-percent of their projects are finished on schedule and under budget. They most recently finished the master plan for Ames High School and have worked with the school district on their athletic facilities. They have also done projects in Ballard and Roland-Story School districts.

Finally, OPN Architects has been in busy since 1979. They have 113 employees in four main office locations. The total value of complete projects is $3 billion. Their success rate for passing bonds in the last decade is 73-percent.

The School Board is expected to decide on an architect firm at their next regular meeting on Monday, November 20th.