SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSES MASTER PLAN WITH ARCHITECTS

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education talked Thursday with three architectural firms, each hoping to win a contract for the school district's master-plan construction.

Approval of a proposed master plan is the top agenda item for Monday's Board of Education meeting.

In addition, Superintendent Dan Tallent said the board likely will decide Monday which architect to hire.

Thursday's meeting was held behind closed doors to ensure an equal chance for each of the bidders, Tallent said.

The superintendent said that each firm was making a proposal in a process similar to awarding a contract. If proposals were made during an open meeting, he said, the third bidder would have a tremendous advantage over the first two because the bidder could have heard the first two presentations and listened to questions posed by board members.

Each made a presentation and answered questions from board members.

At Monday's board meeting, board members will discuss in open session the three presentations and could make a decision on a firm.

The master plan, unveiled at the October board meeting, calls for a 69-cent tax increase and a two-phase building plan.

During the first phase, a new elementary building and a new vocational school would be built. Renovations are planned at Franklin, Clippard and Alma Schrader elementary schools. An addition and renovations are planned for Jefferson Elementary School.

The second phase would include building a new high school, renovating the current high school to an eighth- and ninth-grade center, and the current junior high to a sixth- and seventh-grade center.

"We are looking for an architect to work with us through the master plan," said Tallent.

Initially, the board will select a firm to work on the first phase. If the board is pleased with the firm's work, they could stick with that group throughout the entire process.

Tallent said the firm selected will likely do preliminary drawings and floor plans for an elementary building and a vocational school. Tallent said voters will want to know what type of building is planned before going to the polls.

In addition to hearing from architectural firms the board saw proposals from bond counsel and underwriters. No decisions were made about those firms Thursday. Both should be on Monday's agenda.