KISD kicks off construction projects

Kilgore school district on Tuesday cancelled its May trustee election after nobody filed to run against incumbents Howard Stephens and David Hedrick. Trustees also voted to get started with about $2 million in construction projects.

Stephens, place 3, and David Hedrick, place 4, were certified as unopposed and elected to their positions Tuesday night.

Bids were accepted for replacement of the roof on Chandler Elementary School and Advantage USA's bid was accepted at $376,400. Advantage was not the lowest bid but because the company has good track record and very little was known about the lowest bidder, the board took the recommendation of the administration and awarded Advantage the job.

Jerry Roberts, KISD superintendent, proposed to the board two options for the start date of the 2006/2007 school year. "We proposed two different start dates and the input received from teachers seemed to be split so it was turned over to the campus committee and 'calendar A' with a start date of August 11 and an ending date of May 25 was adopted," said Roberts.

Roberts said, however, with the legislature coming back in special session next month the whole calendar issue could be moot if the state decides all schools will start Sept. 1.

The board adopted the calendar and the official start date - subject to legislative action.

New text books were not adopted this year so Kilgore students will continue with their current text books for another year. "This is not a real problem this year because most of our text books have just recently been adopted," said Roberts. "However, next year the district will need new history and government books so we hope the legislature gets things straightened out before then."

Phil Thacker, an architect from Longview, was employed to draft plans for the new FFA building at Kilgore High School and plans for the new cafeteria addition at Chandler Elementary School.

The projects will total approximately $2 million and will take approximately 12 to 14 months to complete.

The board then selected the 'project delivery method' of competitive sealed proposals for the two projects.

"Once Thacker has construction documents complete, the district will solicit sealed bids with price and other factors entering into the final decision," said Revard Pfeffer, district business manager.

Pfeffer said this bidding method provides selection flexibility, defined project scope and a single point of responsibility for construction. "Some (disadvantages) are that the price is not established until design is complete, there is no design phase assistance and it has a longer schedule duration," said Pfeffer. "This is best for these projects because they are not schedule sensitive."

Pfeffer also announced two pieces of property the district wants to purchase, a lot at 711 N. School St. and a lot on the corner of School St. and Fritz Swanson. "Both lost have a total cost of $20,000," said Pfeffer.

The board approved the purchase of both pieces of property.