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South Putnam School Board approves weight room project
After months of discussion, the South Putnam School Board chose to move forward with its construction project of a new weight room facility at the high school as well as additional restrooms at Central Elementary.
Representatives from Schmidt Associates came before the board Monday evening to present the final construction document review before gaining approval to go to bid.
The new weight room will be 4,544 square feet and will be placed in front of the part of the building, which is currently being used for middle school classes.
"It's pretty simple, one large room with two single restrooms," Kyle Miller previously explained. "We're treating this like a building outside of a building."
Although the new building will be placed in front of the middle school, there will be a corridor between the two buildings to keep things separate as well as a freestanding canopy extending from the high school locker rooms to the new weight room.
The school will also be able to access the overhead door into the aquaculture lab, as a service drive will also be added.
Originally, the board had hoped to build a multipurpose room that included batting cages, wrestling mats and possibly a practice court. However, due to budget constraints the project had to be scaled back.
As the project goes to bid, the new weight room will be a brick base with efis, to save money. However, there will be an alternate included to make the building entirely brick to make the building match with the school.
The new restrooms at Central Elementary will mirror those at Fillmore Elementary and are estimated at 1,107 square feet. Two group restrooms will be added with 10 fixtures. There will also be an additional staff restroom and custodial closet.
The construction costs for both projects will likely be near $868,474 with the weight room construction costs being $562,629 and the bathrooms costing $305,845. In total with $100,704 estimated for soft costs the project was projected to cost $969,178.
The board will also be looking the following as alternate bids: a standing seam roof, the walkway canopy structure, replacing the existing generator and brick exterior in lieu of the efis.
The board voted to approve the project to go to bid. However, board members Angie Nichols and Anthony Heavin voted against it.
Bids will be received on April 15 and the school board will award a contract during next month's meeting on Monday, April 21. Construction will likely start at the end of April and be completed in roughly 120 days or on Aug. 26.
In other business:
* Fillmore Elementary student Jalizah McCord, Central Elementary student Kimberlee M. Emmert, middle school student Megan Zeiner and high school student Tyler Vandermark as South Putnam's March students of the month.
* The board also approved the resignations of varsity basketball coach Troy Burgess, food service worker Joyce Smith and academic coach and team coordinator Tona Gardner, effective at the end of the year.
* The board also approved the retirement of Jeff Raab, Lynn Brown and Mary Jane Glaze as well as the termination of food service worker Emily Bilbrey.
* The board also approved the hiring of Amanda Long as a Central Elementary part-time special education instructional assistant; Susie Booe as a middle school/high school library instructional assistant; and Kim Lyle as the middle school track coach.