School bids still over budget, but approved
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
Following a two-hour closed session Monday night, the Ball-Chatham Board of Education
approved, by a 5-0 vote (Weitzel, Kwedar absent), over $10 million in bids for the new elementary
school project.
The total of the bids that were approved was $10,887,127, and includes three alternate bids. The
project remains over original budget estimates by more than $1 million. Only some small items
remain to be bid, totalling an estimated $300,000, and they will be taken care of later on in the
process.
Site work bids totalling just over $3 million were approved last month. Adding that to the latest
round of bids, along with “soft” costs of $2.87 million; furniture, telephone and wiring costs, and
contingency costs, and the total project cost stands at an estimated $17.94 million, or $1 million over
original budgeted estimates of $16.9 million.
In addition, much of the contingency money of $416,000 is expected to be used up on site work
alone. All of the recent heavy rains have pushed back the project, and now there is real uncertainty to
whether or not the building will be ready for the start of the 2011-12 school year in August 2011.
“We can’t do anything until the groundwork is done and foundation is laid,” school board president
Jim Neuses explained. “The weather has put us behind. You need a canoe to get out there right
now.”
“We’re on course to use up three-quarters of our contingency fund on soil stabilization,” board
member Mark Bartolozzi added.
And Neuses and Supt. Bob Gillum were clear: if the building isn’t ready for the start of school in
August 2011, it will most likely sit empty that entire school year.
“We’re moving fourth grade to all the elementary buildings and changing the boundaries,” Neuses
reminded. “To move in mid-year would just be chaos.”
“The architects, engineers and Gilbane still think it’s possible we can get this done on time,” he
added. “So that’s our focus right now.”
As for the cost, Neuses explained it in terms of cost per square foot. Original estimates were at
$165 per square foot; the bids that were approved work out to $179 per square foot, representing a
seven percent increase.
“We’re pretty much bare bones on this,” Neuses added. “We’re pretty well scaled back on
everything.”
Neuses added that an increase in cost of structural steel, across the board, added to the bids
coming in over budget.
Still, by re-bidding the entire project, the district has saved $3.8 million from the $5 million overage
figure from the first round of bids.
Terry Fielden of Gilbane was on hand, and he explained that a couple of options are being
explored to get the foundation in. A plan is expected by next week, but if the weather continues to not
cooperate, delays will continue.
Bartolozzi, who voted no on approving the site work bids last month, reiterated his concerns over
the budget. But with the other four board members standing firm on voting yes to proceed, and the
money already committed to the project through the site work bids, he voted yes on this round of bids.
The district stood at an estimated $600,000 over budget after the site work bids were approved in May.
“I was concerned about the budget on the first contracts to break ground,” he explained before
voting. “We were over budget then. And I’m still concerned about the budget. But we do have some
substantial costs involved at this point. I think it would not be to our advantage to not move forward at
this point, with the investment we already have. So I’ll vote yes.”
When asked by the Clarion to explain his position further, Bartolozzi said, “How can you start a
project when you know it’s over budget right off the bat? We’re going to have a small balance of our
contingency left. In my experience, you always have change orders; we will have them. What’s left to
fall back on? I don’t want to look like I’m not a team player, but I like to look at these things like you
look at your home finances. I want to be fiscally conservative. And if you are over budget at home, you
can’t do it.”
Bids that were approved include masonry work, structural steel, general trades, roofing, glass,
drywall and acoustical, painting, flooring, gym floor, food service fire protection, plumbing,
HVAC/Geothermal and electrical. A list of the approved bidders and contract amounts is available on
the school district website, www.chathamschools.org.
•In addition, the board approved the issue of $9.5 million in taxable general obligation bonds for
health/life safety work and $4.08 million in general obligation refunding school bonds. The interest
rates were locked in at 3.43 and 3.14 percent, respectively, and those were both below initial
projections.
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
Following a two-hour closed session Monday night, the Ball-Chatham Board of Education
approved, by a 5-0 vote (Weitzel, Kwedar absent), over $10 million in bids for the new elementary
school project.
The total of the bids that were approved was $10,887,127, and includes three alternate bids. The
project remains over original budget estimates by more than $1 million. Only some small items
remain to be bid, totalling an estimated $300,000, and they will be taken care of later on in the
process.
Site work bids totalling just over $3 million were approved last month. Adding that to the latest
round of bids, along with “soft” costs of $2.87 million; furniture, telephone and wiring costs, and
contingency costs, and the total project cost stands at an estimated $17.94 million, or $1 million over
original budgeted estimates of $16.9 million.
In addition, much of the contingency money of $416,000 is expected to be used up on site work
alone. All of the recent heavy rains have pushed back the project, and now there is real uncertainty to
whether or not the building will be ready for the start of the 2011-12 school year in August 2011.
“We can’t do anything until the groundwork is done and foundation is laid,” school board president
Jim Neuses explained. “The weather has put us behind. You need a canoe to get out there right
now.”
“We’re on course to use up three-quarters of our contingency fund on soil stabilization,” board
member Mark Bartolozzi added.
And Neuses and Supt. Bob Gillum were clear: if the building isn’t ready for the start of school in
August 2011, it will most likely sit empty that entire school year.
“We’re moving fourth grade to all the elementary buildings and changing the boundaries,” Neuses
reminded. “To move in mid-year would just be chaos.”
“The architects, engineers and Gilbane still think it’s possible we can get this done on time,” he
added. “So that’s our focus right now.”
As for the cost, Neuses explained it in terms of cost per square foot. Original estimates were at
$165 per square foot; the bids that were approved work out to $179 per square foot, representing a
seven percent increase.
“We’re pretty much bare bones on this,” Neuses added. “We’re pretty well scaled back on
everything.”
Neuses added that an increase in cost of structural steel, across the board, added to the bids
coming in over budget.
Still, by re-bidding the entire project, the district has saved $3.8 million from the $5 million overage
figure from the first round of bids.
Terry Fielden of Gilbane was on hand, and he explained that a couple of options are being
explored to get the foundation in. A plan is expected by next week, but if the weather continues to not
cooperate, delays will continue.
Bartolozzi, who voted no on approving the site work bids last month, reiterated his concerns over
the budget. But with the other four board members standing firm on voting yes to proceed, and the
money already committed to the project through the site work bids, he voted yes on this round of bids.
The district stood at an estimated $600,000 over budget after the site work bids were approved in May.
“I was concerned about the budget on the first contracts to break ground,” he explained before
voting. “We were over budget then. And I’m still concerned about the budget. But we do have some
substantial costs involved at this point. I think it would not be to our advantage to not move forward at
this point, with the investment we already have. So I’ll vote yes.”
When asked by the Clarion to explain his position further, Bartolozzi said, “How can you start a
project when you know it’s over budget right off the bat? We’re going to have a small balance of our
contingency left. In my experience, you always have change orders; we will have them. What’s left to
fall back on? I don’t want to look like I’m not a team player, but I like to look at these things like you
look at your home finances. I want to be fiscally conservative. And if you are over budget at home, you
can’t do it.”
Bids that were approved include masonry work, structural steel, general trades, roofing, glass,
drywall and acoustical, painting, flooring, gym floor, food service fire protection, plumbing,
HVAC/Geothermal and electrical. A list of the approved bidders and contract amounts is available on
the school district website, www.chathamschools.org.
•In addition, the board approved the issue of $9.5 million in taxable general obligation bonds for
health/life safety work and $4.08 million in general obligation refunding school bonds. The interest
rates were locked in at 3.43 and 3.14 percent, respectively, and those were both below initial
projections.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: June 17, 2010