By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Construction of the Bowling Green Middle School addition is expected to begin before the end of the month, according to the architect working on the project.
The board of education voted this morning during a special meeting to accept a bid from ACI Construction Co., of Alvada, Ohio. The firm submitted the lowest base bid of $3,925,000 for the project.
Five bids were submitted for the middle school academic wing and cafeteria addition, according to Kent Buehrer of Buehrer Group Architecture & Engineering. Three were under the published estimate and all five were within 10 percent of the budgeted $4.6 million.
“They are not a stranger to the site,” Buehrer said of ACI Construction Co. The firm did the foundation work on the middle school when it was built.
In addition to the base bid, the school board also decided to add four alternates for climate master heat pumps, clear cafeteria windows, classroom dimming lights, and landscaping enhancements. Those alternates add another $24,000 to the project.
The classroom furnishings and nine additional cafeteria tables have been estimated at $224,528 – bringing the total cost of the project to $4.6 million. Buehrer said the furnishing estimate seemed high, and suggested that the board go out for competitive bids later.
The board voted to borrow $4.4 million for the addition, with plans to pay back the loan with permanent improvement funds. District Treasurer Rhonda Melchi suggested the board use contingency money to pay for the furnishings, rather than borrow the entire $4.6 million.
“I didn’t want to borrow more money than we’re going to actually use on the project,” she said.
The district will also need to have sediment removed from the retention pond on the site, so it can handle as much volume as when originally constructed, Buehrer said. The work should not be a significant cost, he said.
The project will be completed by July 31, 2018, with a $1,000 a day penalty for each day it goes over, Buehrer said.
Also at the special meeting, the board of education accepted the retirement of Melchi, effective Dec. 22, 2017.
Board president Ellen Scholl thanked Melchi for her dedication as district treasurer.
“Rhonda, we’d like to thank you for your 22 years of work for the district,” Scholl said. “We couldn’t have done it without you. You will be sorely missed.”
In other business, the board approved a student trip for the jazz class to attend the Detroit Jazz Festival on Sept. 2. The costs will be paid by the students. The class is led by Bruce Corrigan.
