Board approves partial roof replacements at Northern and Southern Garrett High Schools totaling about $8.3 million

The Garrett County Board of Education voted unanimously April 8 to award two partial roof-replacement contracts for Northern Garrett High School and Southern Garrett High School.

For Northern Garrett High School, the board approved a $3,458,000 contract recommended by staff to Heidt Associates. The recommendation followed a competitive bid process; staff said the work will replace roughly 75% of Northern’s roof, include new insulation and a two-ply membrane with a coating, and require removal of existing pea gravel surfacing. Staff said the Northern job should be substantially complete by the start of the school year, with minor trim work possibly continuing into the fall. The Healthy Schools program and local matching funds will pay for the work; staff said the state’s share for Northern was increased to about 95.05 percent of eligible costs.

For Southern Garrett High School, the board approved SGK Contracting’s low bid of $4,809,000 for a larger partial replacement. Staff said the Southern project covers a larger area and likely will carry over across two summer seasons. The board and staff noted that while the Southern bid came in slightly over estimate, combined bids for both schools remained under the overall budget allocated for the projects.

Both motions passed without recorded opposition. Board members asked technical questions about the scope and labor intensity of flat-roof systems; staff described the work as labor-intensive and explained that some portions of both roofs had already been replaced, which is why only the remaining sections are scheduled now.

Why it matters: School facility projects funded primarily by state grant programs can reduce the local fiscal burden for major capital work. Both projects were presented as necessary maintenance funded through the Healthy Schools program and local match.