Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board Passes Up Low Bidder On Stadium Seating

BY AUTUMN LEAMONS

and JOHN RAGSDALE

The Prescott School District may face a possible lawsuit soon, according to Al Martindale Jr., who is a principal owner of Martindale and Son Plumbing, a licensed contractor.

Martindale's low bid to renovate the stands at the PHS stadium was rejected by the school board Tuesday, August 18. The contract was awarded to McLelland Construction, Inc., also licensed.

The board had advertised for bids to replace the seats on the visitors' side and replace all the wood (mainly the walking area) on the home side as well as in the band section. In addition, the metal framing is to be sandblasted and repainted.

Wood to be used will be pressure treated, "The best there is," Superintendent Ron Wright said last Friday concerning the letting of the contract to McLelland.

Two bids were opened at a special meeting Thursday, August 13, but tabled until the regular meeting last week.

McLelland's bid was $67,960.72, and Martindale's was $63,310.

Martindale said Friday the board began a year ago thinking about renovating the stadium, but waited until just before school began to bid the job. He alleges the board thought there would be only one bid.

However, Jim Franks, president of the board, said Monday that the stadium was never discussed a year ago. "If it was discussed a year ago I was not part of the discussion," he said, "and I have only missed two meetings the 8+ years I've been on the board."

Franks said the first time it came up in a board meeting was just before the district received a settlement from the insurance company for the high school's fire damage in June. The high school was heavily damaged by fire April 1, 1996.

He said then-superintendent Don Johnston told the board they should repair the bleachers with extra revenue the district would have.

The extra revenue came because the board had borrowed money to repair the high school while it was trying to work out a settlement on the fire. A portion of the loan had already been paid, therefore, some extra money was available after the settlement.

Franks denied any irregularities in the bidding. John McLelland, owner of McLelland Construction, said he wasn't aware of any either. He made no other comments.

While he may not file a lawsuit, Martindale's immediate plans are to check with the state about irregularities in the preparation of plans and the bidding for the contract. Martindale contends an architect should have been hired a year ago to assure the taxpayers the materials met particular specifications and the structure would be strong enough to support a throng of people.

On the other hand, he said he did not want to hold up construction so close to football season for fear the district may be hurt by lack of attendance if the job is not done immediately. He said he would just have to check with the state Attorney General's office first to see about irregularities, then he would decide whether to sue the district or not.

Wright presented the board with information on some student programs that he would like to get the schools involved in.

One of the ideas is for everyone to get involved in A.P.P.L.E.S (Arkansans to Protect Police, Libraries, Education and Services). This program is directed at keeping the property taxes instead of abolishing them as has been proposed. A.P.P.L.E.S. believes the abolishment of property taxes would be devastating to the police, libraries, education and services of the state.

Wright said no property taxes would mean that Arkansas' school children would lose $426 million in the first year. That equals more than $900 per student. He encouraged members and citizens to donate money to A.P.P.L.E.S to pay for the cost of trying to remove the proposed Constitutional amendment from he November ballot.

He also proposed two revisions of the schools handbook to the board. The first was most students register for their summer classes by June 1 of each school year. The second was to give the students the opportunity to correct their behavior and regain academic privileges.

The school's policy now reads that anyone suspended from school cannot participate in any extracurricular activities for one year after suspension. Wright said he believes that students will work harder at discipline if they know that they can be rewarded for good behavior. Both proposals were accepted by the board.

Wright, who became superintendent July 1 after Don Johnston left, is looking forward to working with the students and parents. He says he is ready and willing to assist anyone who is involved with the schools.