First contracts awarded using Cape Girardeau school bond money

The Cape Girardeau School Board approved bids for the first projects included in the district's overhaul of buildings during a lunchtime meeting Thursday.

In April, voters approved a $40 million bond issue to replace Franklin Elementary, put in additions at Central High School and address deferred maintenance throughout the district.

Two of the more pressing projects were the first to go out to bid: roofs for Clippard and Alma Schrader elementary schools. During the campaign for the bond, district officials said the leaky roofs would have to be addressed soon with district funds, if not through the passage of a bond proposal.

Neil Glass, director of administrative services said he expects bids for smaller projects to go out in the next three months.

"The ball is starting to roll now," he said.

Work on Clippard and Alma Schrader will start in the next three weeks, he said. Contractors have 40 days to complete the project, which will end shortly after school starts, Glass said.

For Alma Schrader, Roofing Services and Solutions, a company with offices in Columbia, Mo., and St. Louis, won the bid at $641,000. For Clippard, Jefferson City, Mo.-based Missouri Builders Service, Inc., won the bid at $296,827. Six bids were submitted for both projects.

Project manager Keith Fairchild, with McCarthy Building Cos., told the board that the district came in $61,000 under budget.

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