Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board Discusses Gym Bid Problems

Much of the Prescott School Board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 19, was concerning the new gymnasium at Prescott High School.

There were problems with the bid process as several portions of the project received no bids, and other bids were more than anticipated.

David French, one of the project's architects, said the bid process isn't done yet. In fact, bids will be let again to see if more bidders can't be enticed to bid.

Rico Harris, another of the architects, said they really want local contractors to bid on the project, and aren't sure why they didn't the first go around.

Project superintendent Wayne Abernathy told the panel Superintendent Ron Wright gave him a list of local contractors, with all contacted. "I feel if we could talk to them it could help."

He continued saying the meeting was like a fact-finding tour so he and the architects would know where they are in the project, and where they need to be, along with what it will take to get them there.

"This is my top priority," Harris, a PHS graduate, said. "We have meetings scheduled with the contractors."

Drilling for the piers could begin at any time, Abernathy said, with the concrete and retaining wall built before anything else is done. These are the first jobs to be completed anyway and, he added, this is normally done by the general contractor  in this case Abernathy himself.

The rebar will have to be ordered for the foundation work, and 88 piers drilled. Then work will begin on the footing and retaining wall. Bids were taken so the dirt work could be done early.

Harris told the board getting local contractors is nothing new, as he had the same problem finding local people to work on the Nevada County Health Unit.

French said with the foundation work being done first, getting other bids won't hold up the project's schedule.

There was discussion about the possibility of flooding in the rear of the structure, which will be at ground level.

Harris said the gym was located where it is in order to create a different level of design. The finished grade will be five or six feet above the original grade, but on the same level as PHS.

"When it's all in place," he said, "it will look like it belongs. It will have a grand, dominant presence and look like an arena at night when its all lit up."

However, he said, had the digging been done any deeper there could have been a flooding problem in the football area as it's below grade and water could possibly run in during heavy rains.

But, a drainage system has been designed for the gym to prevent this from occurring. The drainage system was designed for all of the problem areas, then tied into the existing gutters.

Now, when it rains, the water will be taken out on the south side of the building by the football field.

Abernathy said with positive drainage, with the slope of the ground, there should be no problems with flooding.

Of course Abernathy, French and Harris said the design is for normal to heavy rains, but not 100-year floods or the like, as such storms are rare.

The gym will be handicapped accessible, as required by law, with those in wheelchairs able to go right up to the front door.

Instead of having stairs going from the front of the building to the door, the entrance will be sloped for easier access. The design also makes the facility more attractive.

Still, the architects, job superintendent and board members couldn't understand why so few local contractors bid on the project.

Speculation ran about the contractors being concerned with the scope of the building as it's something they haven't done before.

French said it's really nothing more than an upsized metal building using ordinary materials in different ways. "People need to know it's their project, too."

Prior to the discussion about the gym, officials with the Bank of Prescott were on hand to present the district a check.

Former board member Jim Franks said the bank is here for the district as the district has been here for the bank and everyone in Prescott.At the top of industrial prospect's lists, he said, is education. They want to know their children and the children of their employees will be getting a quality education.

"A year ago, when we were trying to get the millage passed, the bank wanted to help. This is how we're doing it," he said, presenting the district with a check for $15,000.

This money is to be used to purchase a suspended scoreboard for the new gym. This scoreboard will be the only one of its kind in a high school in Arkansas.