Board OKs contract for career center expansion

The Cape Girardeau school board awarded a $1.52 million construction contract Thursday for expansion of the Career and Technology Center, but only after superintendent Dr. David Scala assured the board the district could afford it.

At a special noon meeting, some board members voiced concern about awarding the contract to the low bidder, Columbia Construction Corp. of Cape Girardeau, because the bid was $248,330 more than the district has on hand for the project.

But Scala and finance director Brenda McCowan said the district has enough money in its capital budget to cover the difference.

The vote was 5 to 1. Board member Laura Sparkman voted against approving the contract. Board member Kyle McDonald was absent. After the meeting, Sparkman said the bid was too high. She wanted the district to rebid the project.

Columbia's bid was one of seven received for the project.

Project architect Phillip Smith of Cape Girardeau told the board that he and school officials hope to revise the project to cut costs. Scala and career center director Rich Payne said any cost reductions to the project won't impact the education of students.

Scala said the expansion of the 5-year-old campus on Silver Springs Road still involves construction of a 12,000-square-foot structure that would include shop space for cabinet making and an electrical shop and classrooms.

The new building is scheduled to open for the start of classes next fall.

The state legislature earmarked $750,000 for the project. AmerenUE kicked in $150,000 in grant money. Private funding, sparked by government tax credits, has generated another $375,000, totaling $1.275 million. That falls under the low bid by more than $248,000.

Payne said he still has tax credits to sell. Those state tax credits could raise another $125,000 in private funding for the project, he told the board. That would bring the total revenue for the project to $1.4 million, which would still be about $123,000 less than the current contract.

Board member Charles Bertrand said he wanted assurances that the district would cover the cost before he could vote to approve the construction contract.

Bertrand said he would oppose renegotiating a construction contract. In that case, the district would have to consider rebidding the project, he said.

Board member Steven Trautwein said school administrators have made it clear that the district has enough money in reserve to make up any revenue shortfall on the project. "We have our deal," he said.

Said Scala, "We do have funds available through the budget to complete the project."

But the superintendent said he and his staff believe some design changes could lower the construction costs to bring them in line with the revenue already set aside for the project.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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