Staff Writer
ASHLAND – The SAD 32 board of directors recently approved the low bid of $17,710,710 from Bowman Bros. Inc. of Newport for the construction of the new pre-kindergarten to grade 12 school that will be constructed in Ashland. Bowman Bros. Inc. is a family owned and operated construction company specializing in the design, construction and renovation of commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.
Phase I of the project – rough grading the ground – was awarded to the Penta Corp. of Marlborough, N.H.
“That work is completed,” said SAD 32 Superintendent Gehrig Johnson, “and the final requisition of Phase I was Oct. 17. That day we also had our pre-construction meeting for Phase II, which was attended by the owners of the company. That’s when we signed the contract for them to begin; they’re already moving equipment onto the site.”
Johnson said Bowman Bros. Inc. will soon begin the process of erecting the building.
“They’ve got to put a foundation in first,” he said. “I’m not sure how far they’ll progress into the winter. It’s up to them, but we’ve all agreed to a completion date of June 2010. The project is theirs until then; if they want to work through the winter, they can.”
The new 87,000 square foot school will be built on the current high school soccer field.
“For the rest of this school year, all of next summer, and all of next school year, this building will be going up,” said Johnson.
The existing high school will be leveled in the fall of 2010 after the students are in the new building. Athletic fields will be constructed on the site of the existing high school. Johnson said the elementary school will not be dismantled and its use has not yet been determined.
The new school will accommodate about 350 children in pre-K through grade 12.
“The school is designed to meet current and future educational needs of students for space and educational programming,” said Johnson. “The entire facility will be made handicapped accessible and energy efficient.”
The blueprints call for an auditorium designed to seat 345, and an expanded gymnasium with seating for 400.
New paved parking and driveway with separated bus drop-offs, play areas, and landscaping are also included in the project to make the site safer and more functional. Furnishings, computers and much needed equipment are also called for in the project budget. An 80,000-watt back-up generator will allow the continuation of full power during electricity outages.
The new school will cost $21,937,928, of which $20,217,000 (91 percent) will be paid for by the state.
“The estimated increase in the average mill rate for education will be .96 mills or a little less than $1 for each $1,000 of value,” Johnson said. “On average, a local taxpayer with a residence valued at $70,000 could expect to see an increase of about $67 per year in property taxes.”
Bowman Bros. Inc. will also be responsible for renovating the superintendent’s office.
“That needs to be finished by the end of December 2008,” said Johnson. “It’s approximately an $80,000 renovation to make the former Mike Kelly property handicapped accessible and put in parking lots. In the second semester, the superintendent’s office would be phased in from the elementary school to the new office. We’re tentatively planning on moving in sometime in January.”
Bowman Bros. Inc. has built a number of schools in Maine including facilities in Alton, Harmony, Dover-Foxcroft, Hartland and Bangor.
“We’re pleased that we have an experienced builder of Maine schools on board,” said Johnson.
The superintendent said he was also happy with how smoothly Phase I of the project went.
“Gary Voisine of Voisine Construction of Fort Kent was the local subcontractor,” Johnson said. “Voisine Construction and the Penta Corp. worked together to get the job done. From the owners’ perspective, we were very pleased with Voisine and Penta. They were on time, neat about their work, and very good to work with.”
In a move intended to save school districts and the state money on construction projects in the next two years, the Department of Education announced recently it is moving by six to 12 months the date local school systems will issue bonds for 12 major school construction projects in 11 school districts.
“We were able to have some further discussions with the state department and SAD 32 was taken off the list,” said Johnson. “Bonds are scheduled to be issued in May, so we’re expecting that statewide decision to have no effect on us.”
