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Board approves architect engagement and fee cap for Jackson Hole High School addition
Summary
The county school board voted to authorize architect engagement and a not-to-exceed fee of $1,853,332 for an addition at Jackson Hole High School, selecting Prospect and Anderson Mason Dale after a seven-firm RFP process; the state will issue the construction contract tied to a $17 million budget.
The county school board voted on May 4 to authorize hiring architecture teams recommended for an addition at Jackson Hole High School and set a not-to-exceed architect fee of $1,853,332.
Ms. Reynolds, the district’s capital projects presenter, told the board the district received seven proposals and interviewed four firms; a seven-person selection committee recommended Prospect and Anderson Mason Dale based on scoring of qualifications before prices were opened. “We received 7 bids and interviewed 4 firms,” Ms. Reynolds said, summarizing the selection process.
Board members pressed staff about the role of the state School Facilities Department. Staff said the state issues and controls the construction contract and its standard terms, but the district will sign the contract and can return it for corrections if necessary. “It’s their contract … but we get to approve the contracts,” a staff member said, describing how scoring focused on qualifications prior to revealing financial bids.
Trustees and staff emphasized programming priorities for the career and technical education (CTE) portion of the addition, recommending flexible, multiuse spaces rather than single-purpose shops. Ms. Reynolds said the team expects to include culinary facilities and expanded dining and stressed that movable walls and overhead electrical distribution will allow rooms to be adapted if student interest shifts.
Staff explained budget changes that affect scope. The construction estimate was described as adjusted from about $17.05 million to approximately $17 million after roughly $500,000 (the transcript also cites $600,000) was moved to a separate vestibule project. Ms. Reynolds noted that the Mercer adequacy findings—and the state’s related limits on eligible square footage—dictate the types and amounts of space the state will fund, which constrains what the district can build with the allocated funds.
At the meeting a trustee moved “to approve the order bid to Prospect of Henderson Mason Deal Architects not to exceed $1,853,332,” and the chair seconded. The chair called for a vote; recorded verbal assent came from at least the chair and the trustee who moved the motion, no opposing votes were voiced, and the chair announced the motion passed.
The board and staff said the architect engagement and programming work will begin as soon as the state contract is executed so the design team can meet with faculty and Finance staff and proceed with planning. The architect fee approved at this meeting is separate from the district’s $17 million construction allocation, the board was told.
What happens next: staff said they will schedule meetings between the selected architects, school faculty and district staff once the state finalizes the construction contract; no additional votes were recorded and the meeting then moved to informal remarks and adjournment.
