Carteret county Schools

Bond Projects Manager Keith Maready presented a funding requisition for the new 24-classroom building at East Carteret High School. Mr. Maready noted the total bond funds allocated to East Carteret High School for new construction and renovation was $13,412,652. He recommended consideration be given to completing the new classroom building as stated in the bond, with 24 classrooms and a new administration area.

Mr. Maready noted the new construction project at East Carteret High School had been bid twice and both were over budget.

Mr. Maready presented a bid from Pro Construction Inc. in the amount of $5,010,200 for the new construction of a 24-classroom building at East Carteret High School including the base bid and alternates 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mr. Maready explained that the base bid included a 16 classroom building with no administration area. He explained alternate 1 was for the addition of 4 classrooms on northern wing; alter 2 is addition of 4 classrooms on southern wing; alter 3 is for entrance, lobby and admin area; alter 4 is a covered walkway from the existing building to the new building.

He noted the total funding for the new construction project at East Carteret High School was $4,116,675 million. If the bid proposed was accepted, along with current commitments and costs to date, the project would be $1,669,862 over budget.

Mr. Maready has reviewed the renovation funding and said he believes $1.47 million could be generated in cost savings and $0.24 million should be available in sales tax return. He then reviewed a handout listing areas of savings. At the request of Chair Neagle, Mr. Maready reviewed each identified area of savings.
Mr. Maready stated there was no change in the original projected scope of work for East Carteret High School with the exception of the roof work over Wing E and F. The savings he listed were as follows:

Roof – A different type construction would be used. Mr. Maready said the proposed roof was comparable to the roof originally planned and carried the same type warranty. The cost savings shown in the roof area does not include roof for Wings E and F. The roof design is in progress and a complete design should be ready by mid-August with an expected bid date in September.

HVAC – Mr. Maready said the HVAC design work is about 80 percent complete.

Mr. Sneeden noted the HVAC for Wings E and F was left in so if it is decided not to renovate E and F than the funds would be savings.

Windows – Mr. Maready said the estimated savings here are based on the data from the current window projects. He said currently one third of the windows at East Carteret High School are complete and another one third of the windows are under contract.

Electrical and Plumbing – Mr. Maready said there would only be a little savings in this area and that would mostly come from plumbing.
Lighting – Mr. Maready said little savings could be realized from this category.

Reconfigure Administration and Guidance – Mr. Maready said savings would be realized in this work in a number of ways.
Paintings and Ceilings – The bulk of the savings in this category would be in painting because school system maintenance staff could perform this work. He noted there would be a little savings recognized in the ceilings.

Floors – The bulk of savings would be created by installing flooring over the existing flooring, as opposed to demolishing and removing the existing flooring and then installing new flooring.

Outside Grounds and Repairs – Money designed to remove brick sidewalks in the courtyards and replace them with concrete would be saved. Instead the existing brick sidewalks would be pressure washed, cleaned and the broken bricks would be replaced. Savings would also come from using the dirt brought in to building the compaction pad. This dirt would be used to establish grades around the new building.

Swing Space – Mr. Maready said swing space had been budgeted for to provide an alternative location for classrooms while construction took place. That money would have been used to purchase modular classroom units. Those units will not be needed now because plans call for the new classroom building to be completed before renovations take place in the existing school building.

Mr. Maready said no renovation beyond windows and roofing will take place until after the new construction is completed.

Mr. Maready expects additional savings to be realized as miscellaneous items at various locations are completed.

Mr. Maready believes the renovations of Wings E and F does not need a decision for another 10 to 12 months. He said he would then have bids in hand for other major bond projects and would have a better understanding of the funds and savings.

June Fulcher agreed and said she also understood a final decision about Wings E and F would not be necessary for another year.

Al Hill said the new construction subcommittee met and discussed all these issues. He believes the tax payers voted for a new 24-classroom building and that work should take place. Mr. Hill noted the savings identified were realistic and could be realized through value engineering and having some work completed by school maintenance staff. He noted the primary focus was for new construction and sealing the envelope. Mr. Hill believes the money needs to be spent on new construction and then, when completed, address the renovation work. Mr. Hill said he supports moving forward with the new construction at East Carteret High School and then go as far as possible with the renovations.

June Fulcher made the motion to accept the Pro Construction Inc. bid in the amount $5,010,200 for the new construction of a 24-classroom building at East Carteret High School including the base bid and alternates 1, 2, 3 and 4, all subject to funding .

Al Hill provided the second.

Board members then discussed the issue.

Mrs. Collins said by accepting this, it means the savings list will be used and the roof will not be completed over Wings E and F.

Mr. Carr said he would like more details on the projected savings. He noted that a new 16-classroom building could be built within budget. He asked why action was needed tonight.

Mr. Maready said the bids would expire August 27, 2007.

Mr. Carr said he would prefer to have all the details of the projected savings before approaching the County Commissioners.

Mr. Sneeden said although it has not been officially requested from the County Commissioners, interest from the unspent bond money could be applied to the funding of projects identified in the bond. As of April, the estimated amount of that interest was $900,000.

Mr. Carr made the motion to table the decision on awarding a bid for the new construction project at East Carteret High School

Chair Neagle said the motion to table takes precedence over the motion and second on the floor.

Chair Neagle asked if there was a second to Mr. Carr’s motion to table the decision.
Mr. Carr’s motion failed for a lack of a second.

Mrs. Fulcher urged Board members to vote for the new construction at East Carteret High School and not put the project off.

Mr. Hill again stressed his desire to move forward and build the new 24-classroom building and then address the renovations work with the money available.

Mrs. Fulcher said new construction was the first line of business at East Carteret High School.

Dr. Luettich said if the Board of Education members did not act on this item at the meeting the window of opportunity would pass because the County Commissioners must consider it. If it is not acted on, the bids would expire.

Dr. Luettich said he would like to see more detail in the savings information, but understands the numbers would likely remain the same. He said he has requested that additional information but had not received the information. He stressed the Board needs to be well informed so decisions can be made in an efficient way. Dr. Luettich said before approval from the County Commissioners is requested, he and all Board members must have the detailed information about the cost savings requested.

Mr. Carr said the Board is making a decision to designate $1.7 million in savings on overall bond projects to the new construction project at East Carteret High School. He believes there will be people on the western end of the county saying the new construction of an auditorium is a priority, and he said he was reluctant to make that kind of commitment.

Chair Neagle asked the Board to consider the original motion Mrs. Fulcher had made to accept the Pro Construction Inc. bid in the amount $5,010,200 for the new construction of a 24-classroom building at East Carteret High School including the base bid and alternates 1, 2, 3 and 4, all subject to funding .

Al Hill had provided the second before the discussion.

After reviewing the motion, Board members approved the motion with a 6-0 vote.

Dr. Rick Luettich then made the motion for the Board of Education to recommend to the County Commissioners that the overage in cost of new construction at East Carteret High School be made up from one or more of the following:

1 – savings and/or changes in scope of work in renovations at East Carteret High School;

2 – savings in overall Board of Education bond construction projects;

3 – sales tax savings on Board of Education bond construction projects; and/or

4 - interest earnings from school bond funding.

Mrs. Collins provided the second and the motion passed 6-0.