Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Bids accepted for new complex at Prescott High

Bids for the new multi-purpose facility on the Prescott High School campus were examined in a special meeting of the Prescott School Board.

The board met Thursday, June 10, to examine the bids and for personnel matters.

Jerry Hollensworth, with the architecture firm of Trull-Hollensworth, was on hand to discuss the bids. In all, four contractors submitted bids for the project. The high bid was $1,368,000, while the low was $1,070,300. Wade Abernathy, Inc. was the high bidder, while Doyle Howard Construction Co., of Delight, had the low bid.

Hollensworth said with Howards bid, the district shouldnt use any of the deductive alternates, as it would only save a total of $46,000. The deductive alternates includes substituting chip seal for grasspave, doing away with the covered walkways, deleting sidewalks and ramps and deleting four porches at the new buildings entrances.

Were in a different climate than we were last year because of the war, he said. Material prices have gone up. These are good bids, more than was budgeted, but theyre attractive.

According to Hollensworth, the cost of construction material has increased because of the war in Iraq. This, he said, is the reason behind the disparity of the bids. Contractors are bidding based on todays costs and guessing at what the material will be when they actually start working.

Howard, he said, has worked on the PHS campus before and is a reputable contractor. Ill be glad to work with him again.

When asked how Howard could be so much less than the other bidders, Hollensworth said when he wants a job he goes after it.

Once the board accepted the low bid, Hollensworth said he would get the contracts ready while Howard gets his performance bond in order.

The district set $1,046,000 aside from a bond issue to build the multi-purpose building. Hyacinth Deon, Prescott superintendent, said the district has projected costs for other projects after this main building is done. These will be done if enough funds remain from this project.

The district received $2,064,859.61 from the sale of the bonds in June 2003. Two certificates of deposit were purchased, one for $1 million and the other for $565,920. This left $484,216, as $14,723 was applied toward debt service payment in January 2004. To date, the CDs have earned more than $10,000 in interest.

The district has spent $885,071 from the bond funds. The money has gone to repair the roof at Prescott Elementary School, improve the heating and air conditioning at PES, renovate the playground and fences and do electrical work there.

At McRae Middle School, funds were spent on heating and air conditioning, installing covered walkways and covered porches.

The bulk of the money has been spent at PHS. This includes work done on the softball field, the distance learning lab, fences around the football field, lockers, entry doors, improving the concession stand, resurfacing the track, working on the baseball field, renovating the bathrooms at the baseball field, work on the old gym, and the demolition of the old field house.

The boards final order of business was to do some hiring and accept a resignation. Kim Jimmerson resigned as PES Title I aide.

The board agreed to hire Doug Smith as technology coordinator.

New hires at PES includes: Kim Grimes as kindergarten teacher; Lisa Pennington as art teacher; and Carol Tyree, Wendy Maxwell and Rene Latin as Title I aides.

At McRae Middle School the new people will be: Kristi ONeal as a seventh grade English teacher; Martha Parmer as computer lab manager; and Trelaine Carrigan as Title I aide.

Whitney Ivy was hired to teach English at PHS.

Angela Cottingham will be the lunchroom manager at PES, while Anita Burbanks, Angela McBride and Brenda Rayborn were hired as cooks at PES.

Michelle Weaver was hired as cashier/cook at MMS.