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Board hears Farrand Elementary addition and renovation plan; bids under budget, playground to be bid later
Summary
The board received a first reading and presentation on the Farrand Elementary addition and renovation tied to the district’s 2020 bond. Staff recommended contract awards that total about $4.81 million in construction bids; playground work will be bid separately and the project schedule targets groundbreaking in April 2025.
The board received a first reading on construction award recommendations for Farrand Elementary’s addition and renovation on Jan. 13. Joe Minnick, chief finance and operations officer, said the recommended contract awards for the package total approximately $4,810,000 and would be funded from the district’s 2023 bond series proceeds.
Nick Bridall (construction management) and architect Derek reviewed the project scope and schedule. Bridall said the plan is to break ground in April 2025, complete renovation work for school occupancy in September 2025, and finish the new addition (gym, music platform and art classroom) in February 2026; playground improvements are scheduled for September 2026 and will be bid separately.
Derek showed plans for a gym addition with a platform for music, a new art classroom, building-wide restroom renovations, kitchen updates, ceiling and LED lighting replacements, new recessed lockers, partial roof and mechanical upgrades, and site/paving adjustments. He said the addition’s exterior will match existing brick with accent brick details.
Bids and budget: Minnick said bid results for this packet came in at $4,841,987.32 against an internal budget of $5,353,405; the variance is currently allocated toward playground equipment still to be bid. The construction manager noted 115 bids were received across trade packages; 28 contractors are being recommended. The record shows 13 women‑owned and 3 minority bidders among the responses; awarded contractor counts listed in the presentation included two woman‑owned firms and eight union contractors among the awards.
Board members praised the project and asked clarifying questions about schedule, furniture and playground sequencing. Treasurer Kehoe said furniture will be procured on a separate bid and that the playground will remain available during construction; staff confirmed paving and related work will be coordinated to avoid disrupting current play areas. Minnick said the project remains on budget and staff had refined scopes to manage post‑COVID cost escalation.
Because this was a first reading, no final contract awards were voted on at the meeting; the item will return for final action in a subsequent board meeting.
