Jefferson High School has chosen to adjust its schedule for the bidding process for the upcoming renovations and continue observing the prices in hopes to receive more affordable bids. This is in response to the economic inflation and construction fields, and is a decision that will not have an effect on the overall schedule for the construction, for the time being.
JHS Superintendent Erik Wilkerson said that it is hard to put out anything concrete at this time because there are so many factors that are still changing. This decision to wait to receive bids came after an update from Dick Anderson Construction and SMA Architects, who have handled the pre-bond planning and design, explaining the rising costs that were presented to the Board of Trustees at their July 19 meeting.
Dick Anderson Construction’s presentation of the project costs included the bond amount which was $12.5 million, and the bond premium – a number calculated by subtracting the bond’s face value from its market value which is $2.24 million. In total, the bond project budget is $14.72 million. The current project cost estimation, accounting for construction, furnishing, amenities and savings adjustments, is $15.4 million or $678,885 over budget. This projection includes estimations for supply and contractor price increases.
During the meeting, school board members made it clear they want to keep as much of the originally presented design as possible, and, in hopes for this to remain a reality, a decision was made to wait on the bidding process. But for the time being, the board and district will continue to evaluate the costs to then provide details of when construction will begin.
Wilkerson continued to say that the bond is a good thing for the community. “For so many small towns, the schools are the center of the community. They have events that really pull everyone together, and the remodel will help add a sense of pride to the community,” he said.
Jefferson High School is one of the first things people see when they enter town from the south, and it’s one of the last things they see leaving town from the north. Improving the school, inside and outside can help improve the town’s appeal, Wilkerson said. “The redesign can help with the optics of the town,” he said.
For more information on the project, call Wilkerson at (406) 225-3317.
