The walls go up next week

Jay Jurrens has been through a construction project before so he’s not panicking — not even coming close — at a slight delay when it comes to New Hampton Community Schools’ $19.415 million project.“We’re going to be fine, and after going through a project in Emmetsburg, I think that’s helped keep me calm,” the New Hampton superintendent said on Wednesday. “There are going to be things that get delayed, but our contractor is confident, very confident, that they’ll make our deadline.”The tip-up panels that will make up the walls of the new middle school and competition gymnasium were supposed to arrive earlier this week [of Sept. 28], but because of an issue with the crane that will be used to lift the 200 or so panels — some of which measure 12-by-32 feet, the walls won’t start to go up until next week [of Oct. 1].“The crane is supposed to be here on Friday, they’ll get everything set up and what they’re telling us is that we’ll start seeing walls go up next week,” Jurrens said. — For more on this story, see the Friday, Sept. 28 New Hampton Tribune.