BonnerSprings.com

Members of the Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Board of Education registered surprise and pleasure as they heard contractors` bids on the construction of the District Physical Education facility at their Nov. 8 meeting as all eight bids came in below the projected cost of $9.2 million.

Architects representing ACI Frangkiser Hutchens, Inc. opened bids ranging from $7,957,000 to $9,168,000. Dick Ritchie commented that the participating contractors had presented detailed bids that seemed to cover all the specs presented by his firm.

Superintendent Bob Van Maren said the architects must now review the bids by checking the math and calling on districts where contractors have previously built schools.

Van Maren said he believes the low bids reflect the lack of big projects at this time.

"If we had held the bidding earlier this summer, we probably would not have gotten as many bids, so the competition would have been less," he said.

Board members and involved administrators had been confident about earlier bids on the elementary projects because they are rather simple projects involving basic level-grade additions to existing facilities.

The physical education facility project, however, is more challenging. Van Maren explained there is more dirt work because contractors must move major sewer and utility lines running through the property, including the sewer lift station that runs underground toward the high school.

Van Maren said estimating the costs of moving those lines plus water, gas, electrical and fiber optics lines made it difficult for the architects to project the cost and to get all the right contractors involved.

He praised the firm for being so thorough and precise in their efforts.

"My feeling is that we just got lucky. We have contractors who want to work. They probably have good crews and good subcontractors and are in a period of time when they don`t have a lot of business. They don`t want to lose their subs or workers, so they probably submitted lower than usual bids," he said.

In addition to the lowest bid being $1 million less than the projected cost, the district may reclaim the contingency fund which is commonly figured at five percent of the projected cost, in this case, $461,000.

"If we go with no change orders, if everything works perfectly, which of course rarely happens in construction, then we might actually be $1.4 million under projection," said Van Maren.

Although the Board is not legally bound to the lowest bid, Van Maren said 90% of the time the lowest bidder was awarded the contract.

Following the meeting, the five attending board members received instructions on how to use the Acer Notebooks Travelmate laptops the district has provided them to improve communication among members and administrative staff.

"The reason that the members have been provided such immediate access to the central office and to each other is to eliminate a good portion of the paper chase," Van Maren said.

"By the time we now get all the paper together and delivered to the members, they usually have only a day or two to read it. We don`t want to send it any earlier because there`s usually late information that should be included."

The laptops are part of the wireless communication system being developed in the district.

As of now, only the boardroom at the central office is equipped for wireless usage, but the machines will work just as effectively plugged in directly to the internet.

"These laptops will not only facilitate communication but will also, set a level of expectation for the whole district. Wireless technology is here, and we are already looking toward having wireless networks in all our buildings," commented Van Maren.

Because much of the communication between the board members and the administration has the potential to concern sensitive topics, efforts have been made to ensure confidentiality.

According to district technology coordinator Ken Clark, a "virtual private network has been created that will allow board members to attach to the district network from home in a secured environment."

The installed software provides encryption for messages being sent between members` computers and the district computer network.

In his superintendent`s update, Van Maren reported the district has received a $16,000 grant from The Ewing M. Kauffman Fund for Greater Kansas City.

The district is also submitting an application to the Unified Government for a Kansas City Kan. recreational facilities grant.

"We started talking to them two years ago about the fact that some of that money needs to be spent in western Wyandotte County, Bonner Springs and Edwardsville in particular.

"Then a year ago, we put in a proposal saying that we are going to build a swimming pool and would like your financial support," Van Maren said.

"The grant application became available Oct. 1, so we submitted an application for $450,000 to pay for a portion of the swimming pools and the building housing the pools."

Van Maren said that the proposal was based on the premise that young people have few recreational facilities in this section of the county.

Van Maren also reported the district has been selected to be one of ten school districts in the state to participate in a workshop on Coordinated School Health Education to be held November 19-21 at KCKCC.

In other action, the board:

Granted new contracts to Pamela Walsh (BSHS English), Karen Locklear (BSE a.m. kindergarten), Denise Griffey (school-to-career coordinator), Shelly Marx (BSE at-risk aide), Warren Likens (CMS custodian), Katherine Harding (BSHS food service), D`Marie Vantellman (BSHS custodian) and Joyce Cunningham (BSHS attendance secretary)

Granted maternity leave to: Denise Gibson (BSHS accompanist) and Kristi Hoffine (CMS teacher)

Accepted resignations from: Cindy Galvan (BSHS attendance secretary) Jason Indorf (custodian) and Don Luttrell (custodian substitute)

The board held a short executive session but reported no action taken.