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Board approves Cary High weight‑room and locker‑room addition after competitive bids
Summary
Trustees approved construction of a weight‑room and locker‑room addition at Carey (Cary) High School after a competitive bidding process produced a building‑only low bid below the district’s reduced budget; the board excluded a tool‑storage add alternate from the approved scope.
The Blaine County District Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved construction of a weight‑room and locker‑room addition at the Cary campus, authorizing the project’s building portion while deferring an add‑alternate for a custodial tool‑storage shelter.
Director of facilities said the project had been designed with Design West and bid through Conrad Brothers as construction manager. Bidders were solicited widely; the district reported 161 contractors were solicited, 96 received plans, 57 began bids and 47 returned bids. The compiled low building bid for the project was $2,946,173, the district said; a design fee of about 8.75 percent will be additional. Earlier planning figures showed a plant‑facility levy allocation of $3,660,000 that the board had reduced to $3,000,000 for the project.
The approved scope includes a new addition to the north end of the gym that will provide distinct boys, girls and visitors locker rooms, a new weight room and related improvements. The district said the work will also address ADA, supervision and safety concerns at the existing below‑grade locker room and convert the existing weight room space after the addition is complete.
Trustee discussion focused on scope and budget. “Scope creep is a dangerous thing, and we need to avoid scope creep as much as we can,” a trustee said during the debate; facilities staff said the added locker‑room space was intended to provide safer, code‑compliant accommodations for multiple sports and seasons rather than an ancillary building solely for football.
A motion to approve the building‑portion of the project without the tool‑storage add alternate passed by voice vote; the board recorded “motion carries.” Facilities staff said the addition is expected to take roughly six months to the first phase and that the district will coordinate asphalt and site work when paving plants re‑open in spring.
Administration noted that three other approved Cary summer projects (LED lighting upgrades and a roof replacement, plus an LED upgrade at Silver Creek) could yield cumulative savings that might be applied to the plant‑facility list. Trustees asked administration to continue seeking ways to keep the project close to a $3 million target and to explore in‑district labor options where feasible.
No change to the budget was recorded in the meeting minutes; the board approved only the building portion and directed staff to proceed with contracting and construction.
