Board awards $113,500 interior renovation contract for SHS fieldhouse, gets wide construction update

The Stillwater Board of Education unanimously approved an interior renovation contract for the existing Stillwater High School fieldhouse and received a detailed update on the district’s high‑school bond construction project.

During the operations portion of the meeting, school staff described the package as an internal renovation to the existing fieldhouse — lighting, paint, flooring and some millwork — managed by the district rather than under the primary Willoughbrook construction scope. Staff said the work will refresh a facility that is just over 20 years old.

After questions from trustees about bid variance and quality control, the board moved to award the contract. The motion on the floor named Ross Group Construction as the selected bidder and listed the contract amount at $113,500. A roll call recorded unanimous approval (Douglas, Wilson, Washington, Baker voted yes).

Trustees raised typical concerns about unusually low bids and the risk of accepting a bid well below others. District staff and the architect described the post‑bid review process: bids are reviewed against the full scope by the architect and the district’s construction manager to confirm compliance with specifications, references and the bidder’s demonstrated capacity to complete the work. Staff noted the selected bid was about $17,000 under the district’s estimate and explained that differences can arise from self‑performing subcontractors, local capacity, or contractors accepting small margins to keep crews working.

The meeting also included a multi‑slide progress update on the Stillwater High School bond project. Staff reported that punch‑list work has begun, AV/low‑voltage and interactive panels are being installed, and FF&E deliveries and interior finishes are planned to begin arriving in roughly 90 days. Civil and landscape work was described as currently out to bid and anticipated to come back to the board in April for award; the main construction package is planned for June to align with a bond sale. The district said certain renovation subpackages (renovation of an existing wrestling room and weight room conversions) are being bundled to reduce costs and were forecast to be ready by October for next school year use.

No schedule slips or cost increases were reported in the board discussion; staff credited coordination with Willoughbrook and the district’s project team for catching issues early. Board members who participated in recent walk‑throughs described rapid visible progress in finishes and installation.

Next steps: the board approved the $113,500 contract and will consider civil/landscape awards in April and the main package in June, timed with the planned bond sale.