School district reports change orders, fund repurposing and timelines for major projects including NNN and Riverdale

District construction officials updated the school board July 29 on change orders for May and June 2025, contingency adjustments and the bimonthly project status report, highlighting several large ongoing projects and funding moves.

Scott Rickenbacker and colleagues presented financial details: May’s reporting period included direct material purchase returns that produced tax savings, “DMP” returns of excess funds and $169,459 in contingencies and adjustments. For June, direct material purchases were about $2,002,791 with $113,530 returned in material tax savings, $302,940 in a non‑DMP repurposing tied to the NNN project, and roughly $91,000 in contingency adjustments.

Rickenbacker explained the $302,940 repurposing was internal contract savings tied to Army Corps permitting work that was not required after wetlands determinations; the funds were shifted to design a 50,000‑gallon tank for fire suppression to serve multiple schools on a site rather than relying on a drawn pond approach. “The 302,000 was funds that we didn't need as part of the Army Corps permitting process going down the road… so we repurposed them to provide the design to switch gears with our water delivery to the school,” he said.

Project updates and schedules given to the board included: - Bayshore K‑8 expansion: GMP received at $36,485,439 and slated for board ratification on Aug. 5. - Bonita Springs Elementary rebuild: construction started June 9; city approved the limited development order. - Cape Technical College (Hector Caferetta site): demolition complete; foundations underway; substantial completion projected June 1, 2026. Rickenbacker said a tilt‑panel event may occur in early August. - Cypress Lake Middle: soil vibro‑compaction work used contingency (~$100,000); schedule still targets Feb. 15, 2027 substantial completion. - Riverdale High School: multi‑phase project with phase 1 items already turned over; current substantial completion for the full project is Aug. 31; contingency adjustments included $490,000 for sewer repairs and other site work; traffic and site paving reported 99.9% complete. - High school NNN: bids out, GMP anticipated in August; FGUA (utility) permit is not yet submitted—district staff said there is no official permit on file with FGUA as of the workshop and drawings were expected within about 30 days.

Board members asked for clarifications about use of repurposed steel, phase sequencing at Riverdale and where remaining punch list activity is focused. Rickenbacker said several change orders represented reusing steel from canceled work, structural bracing for towers and finishing items like rock‑climbing walls and other additions requested by maintenance.

No formal board action was taken on construction items during the workshop; staff said specific contract ratifications and total project cost approvals will return to the board in upcoming action meetings (for example, Bayshore on Aug. 5).

Ending: Construction staff committed to bring the full phase‑2 cost and any contract increases to the board for ratification and to provide schedules and counts (for example, middle‑school seat counts at Hector Caferetta) when available.