SiteLogic outlines $7.5 million middle school plan, details Act 34 grant and summer HVAC work

SiteLogic consultants told the Jersey Shore Area School District board that favorable bids and a state grant have reduced the district's local outlay for planned HVAC and related work, but board action was deferred.

The district received an Act 34 grant of $600,000 with a required local match of $210,000, which SiteLogic said makes the grant portion and match roughly $810,000 in minimum project funds. Mike Arnold, senior vice president with SiteLogic's team, told the board the grant award and contract bids allow the district to move more work into the current project budget.

The consultant presentation covered two parallel projects: work at Avis Elementary that includes a dust collector and replacement unit ventilators, and a multi-phase middle school renovation the presentation listed at a $7,500,000 not-to-exceed budget. Arnold said the dust-collector contract is $266,982 and bidders for the Avis unit ventilators yielded a price that will replace 13 units this summer rather than the 18 originally estimated. For the middle school, SiteLogic reported bids of $3,246,749 to replace 69 unit ventilators; the presentation showed an additional roughly $4,200,000 for the remainder of phase 2 to align with the $7,500,000 figure the board has discussed.

Carla Villamazar of SiteLogic described equipment and systems planned for both schools, saying, "all unit ventilators will have, like, the MERV 8 filters, stainless steel drain pans, ECM motors," and that new controllers will be tied into the district's existing Automated Logic building automation system. Villamazar said the scope also includes flushing and balancing hot- and chilled-water systems, water treatment and replacement of an air-and-dirt separator in the middle school mechanical room.

SiteLogic told the board the intent is to perform construction over summer 2025 to avoid disrupting classes. The firm also said it uses a contracting method it identified in the meeting as the "Giza" procurement approach, which it described as allowing a design-build method for energy-related measures and offering a guaranteed-energy-savings feature tied to measurement and verification; the consultants said that if guaranteed savings are not achieved, the firm must make up the shortfall. The team also said the district has already realized two rebates related to energy measures, $80,000 and $20,000, that reduce net cost.

Board members asked about contingencies, the firm's fees and whether fees are included in the presented totals. Arnold said the prices presented are total costs (including consultant and contractor fees) rather than separate hard/soft-cost breakdowns. He also said SiteLogic sometimes allocates owner allowances or contingencies up front and would reduce the project cost if those allowances are unused.

Several board members raised a larger question about whether to invest in the middle school or pursue a broader consolidation/closure plan. The consultants said that closing a building is a board-level policy decision and described factors they've seen that favor closure in other districts (lack of expansion room, difficult site geometry, ADA obstacles). They also said the middle school site has open area around the building and that renovation is a viable option there.

Superintendent and board leaders emphasized tonight that the SiteLogic presentation was informational; the agenda items associated with the SiteLogic recommendations (buildings-and-grounds items b and c) were tabled and will return for future consideration. The firm's team said bid prices are being monitored and, where appropriate, subcontractors may be contacted to lock pricing while the board finalizes decisions.

The board asked SiteLogic to return with more-detailed phase-two costs (especially for gym-floor assessment and any work that might affect structural or floor replacement) so the board can consider borrowing needs and overall project scope before authorizing construction or financing.

Ending: The SiteLogic presentation will be on a future board agenda for action. Board members and the consultant team said they will continue to refine cost estimates and the master plan so the board can make a decision on borrowing and phasing.