Kings Board approves synthetic turf GMP, hears high school construction update

The Kings Board of Education voted to approve Guaranteed Maximum Price No. 8 for the new Kings High School’s synthetic turf package following a construction progress update from HGC representative Bill Bramck.

Bramck told the board the package — which covers the baseball and softball fields, the competition field, re-turfing of the existing stadium, the lawn area outside the stadium and the wait-room plaza — drew five competitive bids and that the Moes Group was the low, recommended contractor. "The turf package came in a little over a half a million dollars under budget," Bramck said, citing off-season scheduling, a competitive bidding market and an economy of scale from bidding multiple fields at once.

He outlined near-term milestones for the overall high school build: structural steel is roughly a quarter erected on the classroom wing; orchestra slab pours are imminent; and arena masonry is progressing. Bramck said the project is sequencing slab pours for upper floors first to enable faster enclosure and increase the number of trades on site. He said the turf installation is expected to begin late this summer and continue into February of next year.

Board members pressed on schedule risks tied to winter weather and asked how savings would be used. Administration said weather contingencies were built into the original schedule and that savings from under-budget GMPs will be considered for reallocation across the district’s facility plan to address other projects and operational savings.

The board approved the GMP by voice/roll call during the meeting; recorded yes votes included Miss Cowan, Mr. Belf (Belfro), Miss Phillips and Mr. Skir among those recorded on the motion. The motion carried.

Next steps: pre-bid for the south athletics package is scheduled March 25, bids are due April 3, and the administration targets a board presentation on the South Athletics package on April 21.