SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS BIDS ON NEW SCHOOL

Numerous bids for upcoming construction projects were received and a date was set for making recommendations to address the next school budget during a meeting of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education Monday night.

School board members will meet June 1 to review information and proposals and hear recommendations from administrators regarding how to eliminate about $1 million from the next school year's budget. The amount needs to be eliminated to correct deficit-spending from previous years.

Superintendent of schools Dr. Dan Tallent said the school district may benefit financially from legislation passed by the General Assembly last week. Legislators approved a bill to end desegregation payments to St. Louis and Kansas City school districts that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education estimates could result in an increase of as much as $550,000 in state aid to Cape Girardeau schools next year, he said. However, the increase is only applicable if St. Louis residents approve a sales tax or personal property tax increase to cover educational costs that will increase after court-ordered desegregation ends in the city.

The Kansas City School District has already arranged a settlement that will end desegregation payments in that school district.

Board member Dr. Bob Fox said he was not satisfied with the legislation because it allows St. Louis schools to raise money through a sales tax, a privilege no other Missouri school district has.

"It disturbs me because I don't think that is really fair for all the other school districts in the state," he said. "By doing this, any school district in Missouri could argue they should be allowed to raise money in the same way: by applying a sales tax."

In other business, the board received bids from seven companies vying for approval to build an elementary school near the intersection of Sprigg and Bertling streets.

Contractors entered base bids for the project ranging from $3.3 million to $3.8 million and included additional figures for up to six additional projects at the site. The board will approve one of the bids next week, and construction is scheduled to begin thereafter.

Other bids were approved to provide the school district with: property, casualty and workers' compensation insurance; dental insurance; and occupational therapy services for students with disabilities.

Board members expressed concern with the amount of insurance premiums per employee that is paid by the school district, which business director Dr. Steve Del Vecchio estimates is currently over $1 million per year. Several options to increase board-paid insurance were discussed, and board members suggested that alternatives -- including capping the board-paid amount -- be considered for future years.

Board president Dr. Ferrell Ervin said he had been questioned by several board members regarding whether district employees who leave to work in other school districts are given an exit interview. Administrators said an exit interview is held for financial purposes but not to determine an employee's reason for leaving.

Board members agreed an exit interview should be instituted to determine what, if anything, caused the departure. "I think it might be beneficial to have an exit interview with those people to find out why they're leaving," said Fox. "I just think it might be an eye-opener for us."

School District Bids

School construction

The following base bids were opened by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education Monday night for the elementary school to be built near the Sprigg and Bertling. Companies also submitted bids for alternate work on the project.

-- Brown Construction: $3,849,000

-- Breuger Construction: $3,721,000

-- Columbia Construction: $3,498,236

-- Kiefner Brothers: $3,499,000

-- Penzel Construction: $3,770,000

-- RL Persons Construction: $3,390,000

-- Sides Construction: $3,623,333

Property insurance

The following total premiums were submitted with bids to provide property and casualty insurance coverage to the school district for the next three years with the understanding that the district has the right to bid each year at its discretion. The board voted to accept the low bid of W.E. Walker Insurance Co.

-- W.E. Walker: $162,451

-- Capital Insurance and Associates: $172,544

-- County Wide Insurance: $203,190

Dental insurance

The following dental insurance bids were received to provide dental coverage to district employees for the 1998-99 school year. The board voted to accept the bid from the Principal Financial Group and to raise the amount of board-paid insurance by $5.35 per employee per month.

NYLCare Principal Delta Value Alliance

Financial Group Dental Plan Plus Blue Cross

Employee: 15.81 15.96 15.55 17.97 18.20

Spouse: 14.23 15.96 29.55 17.97 34.58

One Child: 18.94 13.41 34.19 10.42 39.99

Two children: 18.94 13.41 34.19 23.05 39.99

Three children:18.94 13.41 34.19 45.36 39.99

Family: 33.17 29.37 48.19 ---- 56.37

Occupational therapy

The following bids were received to provide occupational therapy for students with disabilities for the 1998-99 school year, which includes extended school year during the summer months. The board voted to accept the bid from David Shaffer, registered occupational therapist.

-- Interim Therapy Services of St. Petersburg, Fla.: $46/hour, therapist to be determined.

-- David Shaffner, registered occupational therapist: $50/hour