Unit 40 Board Awards Architect, Construction Management Contracts for Junior High Renovation Project

Unit 40 Assistant Superintendent Jason Fox said the project is expected to range in cost between $10,473,000 and $11,531,840. FGM Architects will be paid $1,015,000, while Poettker Construction will be paid $1,059,000. Fox explained that those contracts cover all of the work by the firms, including change orders. He said the only reason those costs would change is if the Board would decide to make a significant addition to the project.

The timeline for the project is that construction will begin in May 2019 and will be completed in August 2021. That will involve three summers, time when classes are not in session. 

The project will involve a complete retrofit of the building's interior, including the infrastructure.

Fox said Poettker and FGM will work together on completing the bid specs and will let the work out for bids. Once the process is complete, the bids on the work will be brought to the Board for approval. Once construction begins, Poettker will be on site for day-to-day oversight on the project.

The only portion of the project not covered by the agreements is asbestos abatement. Fox said Farmer Environmental will evaluate what work is needed and make recommendations on how that work will proceed.

Fox oversaw Monday night's meeting due to the absence of Superintendent Mark Doan, whose father died on Sunday.

The Unit 40 Board met in closed session for more than three hours to consider five student discipline cases. Once back in open session, the Board voted to expel three students through the first semester of the 2019-2020 school year with a provision that the students could seek readmission for the first semester of the 19-20 year if they successfully complete at least 20 hours of drug counseling, if they successfully pass at least three drug tests, and successfully participate in school activities in an alternative education setting.

Another student was expelled through the first semester of the 19-20 school year, with referral to an alternative education setting.

A fifth student was expelled through the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year, without referral to an alternative education setting.

The Board acted on some personnel matters. Allison Bowen was hired as a paraprofessional, a resignation was accepted from Berly DeSedas as an English as a Second Language paraprofessional, Troy Kyle was transferred to a full-time mechanic, and Kathy Peters was granted a Family and Medical Leave Act leave.