Trustees of the Farmington Public School District on Jan. 6 approved a $3,173,918.80 construction contract for a multipurpose and STEM addition at Farmington High School and adopted two personnel-related policy updates.

The board voted to approve “Bid Pack 18” after presentations from Plante Moran RealPoint and TMP architecture outlining a flexible, high-volume space adjacent to the school’s CTE wing. Scott Smith of Plante Moran RealPoint described the bond dashboard and funding status; TMP architect Bill Weinreich walked trustees through renderings showing a mezzanine, storage, removable field surface for robotics, rubber acoustical flooring, electrically operated roller shades and a new rooftop HVAC unit sized for the addition. Trustees were told the work and associated soft costs are funded within the district’s 2020 bond program.

“Bid Pack 18 for the Farmington High School multipurpose room addition at Farmington High School as presented in the amount of $3,173,918.80, which includes a 10% construction contingency,” Trustee Heinrich said when moving the motion. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting yes.

Why it matters: the addition is intended to create a multiuse instructional and events space that addresses a near-term need for classroom and program space at Farmington High while providing a dedicated area for the school’s robotics team and other district programs. Trustees and administrators framed the project as part of a longer-term facilities strategy as the 2020 bond program winds down.

Details: Planted in the northeast corner of the high school near existing CTE spaces, the roughly 4,500-square-foot addition is designed to divide into multiple teaching areas and include a mezzanine and secure storage so extracurricular equipment can be protected when the space hosts other users. Mr. Weinreich said the removable competition field used by the Hackbots robotics team is a rolled product that can be set up and removed as needed. Trustees asked about HVAC, energy efficiency and acoustics; the project team said the design follows state energy-efficiency requirements, uses low-e tinted windows and a new rooftop unit sized for the space.

Funding and schedule: the project team reported an updated bond budget and a remaining bond balance; in the presentation Mr. Smith said the bond budget figure under discussion was approximately $110.2 million and that about $13.2 million remained available. Actual spending through reconciliation was reported as approximately $94.385 million. The project team said the recommendation presented that night was included in forecasted commitments and would not exceed the bond program; the team indicated a hoped-for construction start in February and a target of completion by the end of the calendar year.

Votes at a glance:
- Bid Pack 18 (Farmington High multipurpose/STEM addition): motion moved by Trustee Heinrich, supported by Trustee Smith; motion carried by roll call with the following recorded votes in the meeting transcript: Miss Smith — Yes; Miss Heinrich — Yes; Mister Walker — Yes; Mister Hall — Yes; I myself — Yes; President Wiens — Yes. Outcome: approved; amount: $3,173,918.80 (includes 10% contingency).
- Policy adoptions (two personnel-related policies): motion moved by Trustee Walker to adopt the Policy Board Governance Committee recommendations and waive second reading for policy 19.01 (behavior, personal electronic devices) and policy 4003 (conditions of employment, recording devices); motion carried by roll call with recorded votes (see meeting minutes). Outcome: adopted.
- Consent agenda (minutes and committee items listed in the packet): approved by voice vote.

What’s next: the project team will proceed with contract awards and preconstruction planning; the district expects to move forward with the construction phase pending usual preconstruction approvals. The board also signaled continued attention to districtwide facility equity as long-range planning continues.