Board approves Central Elementary renovation bids, completes Hattie B. Stokes contracts and several construction change orders

The Lebanon Community School Corp. board approved multiple construction contracts for the referendum renovation program, accepted remaining bid packages for Hattie B. Stokes Elementary and approved several change orders and service contracts to support summer moves.

Business/operations staff presented the contract awards and explained contingency and allowance accounting. Mr. Dennis said a returned masonry allowance of about $152,000 from Central Elementary will move into owner-held contingency and can be used across the elementary projects. He described the projects as a single referendum budget even though items are reported by school.

Nut graf: The board authorized hard-cost contracts for Central Elementary totaling $9,220,048 and approved the outstanding mechanical and metal-stud drywall packages for Hattie B. Stokes, while accepting multiple change orders intended to avoid higher long-term maintenance costs.

Key contract awards read into the record for Central Elementary included: Connexco (earthwork/utilities) $791,886; Redig Paving (asphalt) $293,200; JBM Contractors (general trades) $1,895,300; Deco Associates (finish carpentry/casework) $251,000; SCS Construction (metal studs/drywall) $806,400; TF Andrew (carpet/resilient tile) $438,900; Inline Painting (painting/wall coverings) $101,700; Stafford Smith (food-service equipment) $150,262; Johnson Mello (mechanical/plumbing) $2,783,000; Long Electric (electrical/technology) $1,708,400. Mr. Dennis reported total hard costs of $9,220,048. Roofing scope (bid package 5) was removed from the package and not pursued.

For Hattie B. Stokes, after rebidding and separating fire protection from the mechanical package to increase contractor participation, the board awarded: Architectural Walls (metal studs/drywall) $1,182,980; Commercial Air (mechanical) $664,150; Florian Fire Protection $39,317. Mr. Dennis said these awards complete the contracts needed for the Hattie B. Stokes summer work.

On change orders, Mr. Dennis explained two sizeable positive change orders to flooring contractors at Harney and Perryworth to install tile wainscoting on corridors. He said the choice of tile (applied with thinset mortar) is expected to be more durable than painted drywall or vinyl wall covering and should reduce recurring maintenance costs. A returned masonry allowance at Central of approximately $152,000 was reallocated to owner-held contingency. Mr. Dennis also noted one Jack Lohrey change order for Harney exceeded 20% of that contractor’s contract and recommended the board find the overage an unforeseeable condition under Indiana code language so the work can proceed.

The board also approved moving and relocation services: a districtwide relocation contract with Hogan Transfer for furniture moves and teacher tote handling, and an addendum to the Relocation Strategies agreement to cover decommissioned furniture across additional buildings. The board approved appendices to the master agreement with Meyer and Agem to complete the last renovation projects under that construction-manager relationship, and it approved a fee adjustment for the Schmidt architectural contract that trues up fees to actual bid-day costs (the adjustment did not push the projects over the overall referendum budget, the board was told).

Ending: Board members approved the presented contracts, change orders and service agreements by voice vote; staff said the actions keep the renovation schedule on track for work this summer.