10 years ago 1997
Serious problems with the oversight of the bid process came to light last Friday at a school board meeting where the board rejected all bids for construction at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. The board rejected the bids on the recommendation of District Superintendent Richard Eisenhauer, after they came in more than $2 million over the projects estimate. At a Sept. 19 meeting, Eisenhauer had recommended the board accept a $6 million bid on the project. The change in recommendation was due to several process flaws that came to light in the interim as board members examined the bid packages. Those irregularities include: Absence of a Constructability Review, a process allowing administration and board oversight; changes to the project submitted directly to the architect by teachers and staff without higher administration review and/or sign-off; inclusion of an over-designed central kitchen which had repeatedly been turned down by the previous and current school board; an inaccurate understanding and reporting of the Maximum Allowable Construction Cost to bidding contractors; and timing of detailed information on the project getting to school board members for analysis. Both the school board and administration assumed responsibility for the irregularities. Eisenhauer, who pointed out that many of the problems happened before he came to the district, still labeled the circumstances very perplexing. Board President Tim Thometz said, disturbing is one of the words I would use. The way construction is planned, approved and overseen in the district is being scrutinized and changed because of what the board deemed serious problems with the high school project. In the Sept. 26 meeting, board members repeatedly questioned the way the project was inflated, how it was presented and especially the cost of renovating a kitchen. The kitchen, which included new equipment, accounted for close to $2 million of the total. In meetings since Sept. 19, when the board delayed approval of the high school bid, architect Dale Klappenbach said the kitchen was over-designed. The board questioned the objective of the kitchen and the fact the design was continuously changed with input from teachers and staff members going directly to the architect without approval or apparent knowledge of any higher administration officials. Board member Francis Chamberlain asked the administration to look over past projects, including the recently completed Quil Ceda Elementary School, to see what the practice may have cost the district. The future and timing of the high school construction project will depend on several things. The administration will now ask the state for a 90-day extension to re-apply for state money to fund the project. Eisenhauer said they would need to go back over the project and find ways to cut costs. That may be difficult to do in the time frame. The project has already gone through several stages with the state, including an approval of money for construction. John Lindahl, business manager for the district, told the board the project can be resubmitted but must be very similar to the existing one. The state allows for minor changes but wont consider a new project for two years. The future of the project will also depend on the implementation of new processes for compiling and reviewing the bid process. The board was given stacks of paperwork for review for meetings after it voted to delay. What is it about the process that would bring so much detailed information after we have been asked to approve? Thometz asked. Larry Price, the new facilities director, said there were many factors pushing the price to $6 million. One was the construction market in the Puget Sound area, where builders have plenty of work allowing them to charge more according to supply and demand. One flaw in the bidding process was the dollar amount of the project size given to contractors for the purposes of estimating and bonding was not accurate. The architect told contractors the district had $6.5 million to spend on the basic project. Architects commonly provide a maximum allowable construction cost so contractors may estimate bonding needs. The school board said they expect a detailed explanation of the project and assurances the policies have changed. Board member Don Hatch said he felt errors on both sides, the board and administration, had been made and the public should get the reassurance needed that corrections had been made so work could go forward. Next fall, enrollment at the high school will increase by more than 800 when the district moves ninth-grade students to M-PHS. We need to move past this and get to the healing part, said Hatch.

25 years ago 1982
A successful chamber doesnt just happen, it happens because someone cares to make it happen, recent Marysville Chamber of Commerce speaker Troy Bussey said. Bussey, a motivational speaker, led a seminar on personal productivity and profit for businesspeople in the area. His luncheon speech told members how to re-organize the chamber for direction in a positive way. His main focus was to help the chamber and its members become a vital part of the Marysville community. You can make it happen or you can sit around and make excuses for not doing things. He compared the chamber to an aspirin, a bromo-seltzer and an Alka-Seltzer. He explained that many chamber members resemble the sight of dropping an aspirin into a glass of water lifeless. The aspirin drops to the bottom of the glass and lies there. The economic well-being is important, Bussey said. But as far as making anything happen, Bussey explained, its like a ballgame of no hits, no runs, no errors. Then there is the bromo-seltzer. When it is inserted into water, it hits violently and rests at the top. These are the ones saying, I didnt realize it was gong to be that hard. And there are also some Alka-Seltzer members. When the Alka-Seltzer is dropped into a glass of water it instantly begins mixing. It doesnt sink to the bottom or remain at the top, it interacts. Bussey said this is the type of member to be and the kind that Marysville is trying to achieve. Bussey noted the key to being successful was taking the responsibility. You look to the future and have faith in your community. You need to develop a can do attitude. You have to have confidence. You know what confidence is? Bussey asked the chamber members. Confidence is gong after Moby Dick in a row boat with a great big jar of tartar sauce. Bussey said as confidence builds it becomes contagious. People like to deal with a person or with an organization that has confidence. People want to come when the action is. He explained as the chamber builds with can do people there will no longer be room for the Negative Neds and Nanettes. Theyll either become lost on the way or will become one of the positive forces. Another aspect of a healthy, growing chamber is proving the people with a way to join. There are many who dont know how to vote. They dont know the area is made up of small precincts. And there are many who dont know how to join a chamber of commerce. You get the action going and theyll join, but youve got to give them a way. Give people a sense of direction and theyll join.

50 years ago 1957
Regularly scheduled helicopter passenger, mail and freight service for Marysville may become a reality in the future if an application made recently by Alaska Airlines should be approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board. Plans for service in the greater Seattle-Puget Sound and Portland-Willamette Valley areas were announced this week by Charles Willis Jr., president of the pioneer airline. Helicopter equipment being considered is the Sikorsky S-56, comparable in size to a DC-3, which can carry 35 passengers as well as baggage, mail, air express and freight. Under application, Marysville would be a route stop on the way from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport to Boeing field, downtown Seattle, Edmonds, Everett, Oak Harbor, Mt. Vernon, Anacortes and Bellingham.