SITE-WORK CONTRACT AWARDED FOR NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education set the wheels in motion Tuesday for site work to begin as early as Thursday for a new Cape Girardeau public elementary school.

The district held a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 8 for the new school, which will be near the intersection of Bertling and Sprigg streets. The school is expected to be completed by August 1998.

Five board members were present at a special meeting at the Board of Education office to review bids. Robert Blank, the Rev. William Bird, Dr. Robert Fox, David Goncher and Harry Rediger reviewed five sealed bids submitted for the site grading contract.

Board members voted unanimously to award the contract to the low bidder, J.W. Strack Construction, which submitted a low base bid of $141,132.50.

Submitted bids ranged from the low base bid of $141,132.50 to a high bid of $216,000. All were much higher than the architect's estimate of $106,755, which was derived after reviewing similar projects in other school districts.

District representatives said the construction company is scheduled to begin work at the site as soon as possible. The bid submission estimated completion of the project within 30 working days after beginning the job.