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During a special meeting Saturday morning, the Neosho R-5 Board of Education approved bids for several projects and chose a new name for the newly remodeled administrative office building.
The board met for a special action items session and a work session at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the former Neosho Rec Plex. The board approved a $1.144 million bid from Branco Enterprises to install heating and air conditioning at the junior high and high school gyms and a $386,000 bid, also from Branco, to replace heating and air at Neosho Middle School.
On May 20, the district opened bids for the project, with Branco as the only company that supplied a bid. Representatives from Kromm, Rikimaru and Johansen, the district’s architects, said they expected other bidders on the project, but when contacted the following Monday, a bidder said he had gotten conflicting quotes from subcontractors and didn’t trust any of them, therefore he didn’t turn in a bid. Another said he was busy with other jobs. Those choosing not to participate were Construction Services Group, R.E. Smith Construction and the Wilson Group.
However, Branco’s initial bids of $1.553 million for the high school and junior high gym project and $495,000 bid for the middle school project were deemed too high by the district. Just over $1 million was budgeted for the high school / junior high project.
Dr. Richard Page, superintendent, and David Kromm, the district’s architect, told the board they then met with John Branham, president and CEO of Branco Enterprises, about measures that could be taken to cut costs and bring the project under budget. Branham, himself an engineer, was able to shave about $500,000 off by making changes in the amount of panel insulation and cosmetic changes in duct work, among other items.
The group also approved a $529,900 bid from Joplin Roofing Company to replace the middle school roof.
The district received five bids for the project: Guarantee Roofing, $583,320; Joplin Roofing, $529,900; Kirberg Roofing, $793,590; Roofing Services and Solutions, $625,705; and Shay Roofing, $575,747. Bids were opened Friday.
Masonry bids were another part of the project, ranging from $50,000 to $176,500, but the board elected not to award bids until the project can be reevaluated.
Page said the reason the bids varied so much were different solutions on fixing a leaking wall. The high bidder, Branco Enterprises, wanted to encapsulate the wall over the gym and library ceiling, Page said. Other bidders wanted to merely repair the wall.
During a special meeting Saturday morning, the Neosho R-5 Board of Education approved bids for several projects and chose a new name for the newly remodeled administrative office building.
The board met for a special action items session and a work session at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the former Neosho Rec Plex. The board approved a $1.144 million bid from Branco Enterprises to install heating and air conditioning at the junior high and high school gyms and a $386,000 bid, also from Branco, to replace heating and air at Neosho Middle School.
On May 20, the district opened bids for the project, with Branco as the only company that supplied a bid. Representatives from Kromm, Rikimaru and Johansen, the district’s architects, said they expected other bidders on the project, but when contacted the following Monday, a bidder said he had gotten conflicting quotes from subcontractors and didn’t trust any of them, therefore he didn’t turn in a bid. Another said he was busy with other jobs. Those choosing not to participate were Construction Services Group, R.E. Smith Construction and the Wilson Group.
However, Branco’s initial bids of $1.553 million for the high school and junior high gym project and $495,000 bid for the middle school project were deemed too high by the district. Just over $1 million was budgeted for the high school / junior high project.
Dr. Richard Page, superintendent, and David Kromm, the district’s architect, told the board they then met with John Branham, president and CEO of Branco Enterprises, about measures that could be taken to cut costs and bring the project under budget. Branham, himself an engineer, was able to shave about $500,000 off by making changes in the amount of panel insulation and cosmetic changes in duct work, among other items.
The group also approved a $529,900 bid from Joplin Roofing Company to replace the middle school roof.
The district received five bids for the project: Guarantee Roofing, $583,320; Joplin Roofing, $529,900; Kirberg Roofing, $793,590; Roofing Services and Solutions, $625,705; and Shay Roofing, $575,747. Bids were opened Friday.
Masonry bids were another part of the project, ranging from $50,000 to $176,500, but the board elected not to award bids until the project can be reevaluated.
Page said the reason the bids varied so much were different solutions on fixing a leaking wall. The high bidder, Branco Enterprises, wanted to encapsulate the wall over the gym and library ceiling, Page said. Other bidders wanted to merely repair the wall.
“We have seepage going into the wall at the top,” Page said. “Taking the brick out and going up halfway may not solve the problem. We want to make sure.”
The board will consider the masonry issue at its July 18 board meeting. Should it go with the Branco bid, the total roofing and masonry project remains under the $1 million district estimate.
On Monday, the school board approved entering into a 10-year lease agreement to borrow $4.8 million at just over 3 percent interest.
After voters approved the construction of a new middle school in 1992, the district entered into a lease agreement to pay for it. In 1998, the district added an additional efficiency lease for air conditioning and were awarded two grants from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The lease was slated to be repaid in 2012, but the remainder of the old lease is to be refinanced with the new lease agreement. Annual payments will range between $555,000 and $560,000 and payments would be made each March.
On Saturday, the board also awarded a $73,250 bid from Guarantee Roofing for a new roof at the Southwest Alternative School. The project was not related to the work funded by the lease agreement, as those funds are obligated to other projects. However, the district had set aside funds for that work. Others bidding on the project included Joplin Roofing, $92,210; Shay Roofing, $106,000; and Roofing Services and Solutions, $134,200.
In other business, upon recommendation from Page, the board agreed to rename the facility the Neosho R-5 School District Administrative Center.
