At its Aug. 24 meeting, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education heard a report on bids for the first phase of construction of the district’s new operations building.
The school district was successful in asking voters for a bond, which is funding most of the project. A grant for $500,000 can be used toward electric buses and chargers. The former Haggerty elementary school was demolished earlier in August to make way for new construction.
Haggerty Elementary undergoing demolition. | Photo courtesy of D. Booher
James Williams, Director of Plant Operations, noted that his presentation covered “recommendation package number one” and a second package will be presented at the next meeting of the school board.
Plante Moran Realpoint, serving as the District’s Owner’s Representative, worked with district administration and the project team to review the bids and provide recommendations regarding the award of construction contracts.
This first package of bids covers structural concrete, earthwork, and mechanical and electrical engineering. The total for this set of work is $7,846,573. The overall budget for construction of the operations building when the second package of bids is considered will be just over s $13.9 million, and Williams says the project is on budget or slightly under budget at this time.
Williams said a groundbreaking will be scheduled with drivers, maintenance staff and others who will be working in the new building, along with school board members and local dignitaries, shortly after bid packages are approved, with date and time TBD.
In other news from the Aug. 24 meeting, the trustees:
- Accepted a Human Resources report that included recommendations to hire six instructional staff and the resignation of three instructional staff members, including Lisa Stremer, a Rawsonville Elementary teacher of 14 years who is moving to another area. The report also recommended the hiring of two non-instructional staff and the retirement or resignation of seven staff members, including Deborah Rushlow, who served as a paraprofessional in the district for 31 years.
- Heard an update on costs for electric buses and charging stations. The school district received a grant of just over $1 million for buses and infrastructure. About $484,000 will be used for 10 electric buses and charging stations and the rest for operations.
- Approved awarding half a Physical Education (PE) credit to participants in the junior ROTC program.
- Approved naming board President Amy Pearce, Secretary Darlene Loyer Gerick, and Vice President Dionne Falconer delegates to the assembly at the upcoming Michigan Association of School Board convention this autumn. Pearce noted that delegates who vote at the assembly help set educational policy statewide.
- Approved updates to dozens of school policies related to safety, controlled substances, mental health and more. A subcommittee reviewed these policies earlier this summer and made recommendations to update them in alignment with state law and policies. Pearce read through changes to these policies at the Aug. 10 meeting of the school board as well.