Improvements to HVAC, lighting and the metal entrance panels at the middle school are back in school construction plans.
Bids came in several million dollars under the expected total for the scope of the bond construction projects, thereby allowing additional projects to be included, Superintendent Stu Moeckel said.
The school board previously moved these projects, worth almost $5 million, to the potential list as it awaited final totals.
The board can now provide funding for new lighting for the whole district, as well as the panels at the middle school, bathroom improvements at the Early Learning Center and HVAC improvements throughout the district.
“Again, that was something we didn’t know if we’d be able to do as we were trying to cost this out in the summer, but we were able to pad that package back in,” Moeckel said.
Plans to start construction during spring break are moving forward after the School Board recently approved bids for the projects.
The max spending agreement says the construction costs must not exceed about $27 million.
The entire bond was about $39 million, meaning the rest of those costs are going to what are called “soft costs,” the new playground, technology and communication upgrades, and roofing. About $6 million in soft costs include things like desks, chairs and other furnishings.
Since the board approved this total cost, any overage would be the responsibility of the trade partner doing the project.
Overall, the board feels good about the bids it received, Moeckel said. For all projects, there was a combined total of 106 bidders.
The board made decisions to prepare for future needs, like the increased size of the elementary playground and picking a larger size of a new auxiliary gym, he said.
The bond will help expand the Early Learning Center, a new entrance for the middle school, new classrooms for the high school and more.
Construction on the elementary school, early learning center and middle school will be done by fall. The high school classroom additions will be done by the end of the year, and the new auxiliary gym, fitness room and training room at the high school will be done by March 2025.
Safety changes are in place to make the construction process easier.
“We’re really excited about the progress and the opportunity to be able to deliver on the vision of the board and then the support of the community through their vote last spring and so next steps for us is we will start mobilizing for construction during spring break,” Moeckel said.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
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