Bid for roof replacement at Glen Rock school is higher than anticipated

Bid solicitation for the pending half-roof replacement at Hamilton Elementary School will have to be advertised for a second time.

At the May 19 Glen Rock Board of Education meeting, trustees unanimously approved a resolution rejecting the single bid for the project received on May 15, because the price quote was "substantially in excess" of the cost estimate prepared by district consulting architect Tony Catania, of Spiezle Architectural Group.

The same resolution authorizes Business Administrator Michael Rinderknecht to re-advertise the project, as "consistent with the needs and desires of the school district."

The estimated $225,000 roof project is budgeted in the district's $1.7 million capital improvement plan for the 2014-15 school year, approved on May 5. Officials did not disclose the amount of the single bid received.

Other capital projects include drainage remediation at the high school's Little Theatre and courtyard area, expansion of the athletic field house garage, and a proposed playing field improvement project at Coleman School - either a turf field installation now under consideration, or a standalone natural grass upgrade budgeted at $427,800 (see related story on this page.)

Capital spending will also provide $130,687 in additional school security enhancements, up from last year's $82,500 in security investments. Additions will include $188,000 to add "mantraps" - entry vestibules where those entering school buildings would have to be buzzed in by security personnel - in all district facilities.

The district will also upgrade 60 interior security cameras at the high school ($111,789), add new cameras there ($20,000) and install exterior surveillance cameras at the Central, Hamilton and Coleman elementary schools. New cameras are already in place at Byrd School, due to ongoing vandalism there that increased last summer.

In separate May 19 resolutions, trustees also renewed the Spiezle firm as district architect for the new school term, at the hourly rates of $155 and $175 respectively for the services of the company president/CEO and principal/vice president. The contract for Lerch, Vinci & Higgins as district auditor, at a rate not to exceed $29,900 for the year except as specifically approved under contracted billing rates, was also approved.

The board also reappointed Rinderknecht as board secretary, and to aligned responsibilities as the district's authorized purchasing agent, public agency compliance officer and custodian of government records.

E-mail: desanta@northjersey.com

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Bid for roof replacement at Glen Rock school is higher than anticipated