Estimates for cost of bus wash bay for Haven schools jumps 90 percent – Hutchinson News

Haven school board members learned during a meeting Monday night that a project to build a new wash bay for district buses has nearly doubled in price from original estimates, topping $200,000, but that savings from other projects in the district could cover the increase.

Superintendent Clark Wedel advised the board that the original estimate for the facility, which the district will build next to the transportation building near district offices to wash buses and other district vehicles, was $112,000, but the company managing the districts bond projects informed him new estimates upped the price by as much as $100,000.

We probably have enough saved to cover it, Wedel said.

The increase was due to both an increase in the size of the building and the fact the district would have to buy new high-pressure spray equipment, rather than using equipment the district already owns, Wedel said.

We were thinking the one we had could be adapted to the wash bay, but we found out it was not in good condition, he said.

A representative of Hutton Construction, the company awarded a construction manager at-risk contract to manage the $12 million bond project approved by voters in June 2015, is expected to be at the March board meeting to seek approval to take bids on the wash bay project.

I dont know exact numbers, Wedel said about other projects that came in under original estimates, which might fund the extra cost. Construction of the new gym is under budget, as were wall repair projects at the middle and high school.

Meanwhile, window replacement on the Haven Grade School gym and replacement of the districts phone system both improvements outside of the bond issue should also be ready for bid in March.

This is one that gets me excited, Wedel said of the gym windows. Well fill in some and new ones will be tinted. It will be a real upgrade to that facility.

Estimates to replace the ceiling in the gym, however, were around $70,000, which was much more than the district anticipated spending.

Were still looking at the ceiling, to see what we can do, Wedel advised the board.

The high school gymnasium, meanwhile, which accounted for more than a third of the bond issue, is nearing completion, with lines to be painted on the gym floors this week, Wedel said. Overall, bond improvements are 60 to 70 percent complete, he said.

The board also learned Monday, amid discussions about closing a district elementary school to save an estimated $175,000 to $200,000 a year, that it could save some $133,000 if it refinances an energy lease contract.

Wedel told the board about two options on the lease, originally initiated in 2008 at a cost of $3.6 million in an effort to save on district energy costs. The board could tell its finance advisor, George K. Baum, that it should proceed with refinancing when doing so would guarantee savings of at least 2.5 percent, or that the district would refinance but also pay a lump sum $340,000 to cut two years off the debt contract that currently extends to 2028.

The district could draw the lump sum amount from its capital outlay funding, which presently sits at nearly $1 million, Wedel said.

Can we get someone here to explain this? Board member Paul Caffrey asked. Its complicated and Id feel better if someone explained it.

Wedel said he would put the issue back on the boards March agenda.

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Estimates for cost of bus wash bay for Haven schools jumps 90 percent - Hutchinson News