Company wins Weiland Field building contract

McCook Contracting will build the new locker room-restroom facility at Weiland Field, a decision made Monday evening during a special meeting of the McCook Public Schools board of education.

Educators also approved bid packages for the on-going elementary facility construction project.

McCook Contracting's was the lowest of five bids submitted for the building that will house ADA-compliant restrooms, a locker room, concessions area and storage. It will be built on the northeast corner of the block that houses the college dorm and student union and high school football field and stadiums.

The bids included:

McCook Contracting: $34,772

Clearing Building Corp.: $38,189

J.L. Construction: $43,400

Esslinger's Home Improvement: $44,250

Morton Building Inc.: $45,477

The bids did not include rough interior and plumbing.

Superintendent Dr. Don Marchant said Activities Director Rick Haney has raised approximately $32,000 in donations for the building. More donations are expected, Dr. Marchant said, adding that Haney's target price for the finished building is $45,000.

Board member Ron Soden called the project, "long overdue. It will be a welcome addition."

Board Secretary Michael Gonzales said Haney should be commended for his work on the project.

The board approved these bids for the elementary expansion/construction project at the North Ward site:

Interior slabs: Sampson Construction, $166,900

Masonry: Sampson Construction, $337,700. Other bids were: Midwest Masonry, $371,606, and Robert Nation Inc., $422,897.

Casework/millwork: Creative Dimensions, $113,881.57. Other bids were: Innovative Laboratory Systems, $181,933; Sampson Construction, $184,200.

Door Specialities: Sampson Construction, $85,500.

Joint Sealers: Sampson Construction, $19,400.

Hollow Metal/Hardware Doors: Metal Doors and Hardware, $91,667. Other bids were: Midwest Door and Hardware, $99,137; Johnson Hardware Co., $99,950; Twin City Hardware, $108,766.

Drywall: Midwest Partitions, $418,000. Other bids were: Essink Bros. Drywall, $477,650; Geiser Construction, $649,806.

Acoustic ceiling tile: T-C Ceilings Inc., $88,500. A second bid was: Amax Co., $105,400.

Painting: Kucera Painting, $62,928. Another bid was: Sampson Construction, $82,800.

Lockers: S&W Equipment: $43,164. Another bid was: Sampson Construction, $70,200.

Fire protection system: Bamford Inc., $88,400. Other bids were: NE Fire Sprinkler Corp., $92,700; Total Fire Protection, $99,500; Continental Fire Sprinklers, $106,480; Midwest Automatic Fire Sprinkler, $114,680; Simplex Grinnell, $147,900.

Pipe Utilities: Snell Services, $620,845. Another bid was: HEP Inc., $681,000.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning: Snell Services, $600,136. Another bid was: Tessier's Inc., $639,860.

Bruce Zink of Sampson Construction, the firm hired by the school district as the project's construction manager, told board members only one bid was received for floor tile, and that package will be rebid.

Zink said other bid packages that need clarification or more review include: aluminum glazing, hardcoat exterior finish systems, carpeting and electrical.

In other action Monday:

* Board President Greg Larson expressed the district's condolences to the family of teacher and coach Ron Coleman, who died in an accident at his home Nov. 30. Larson said, "He was a great guy and he will be missed. This is a terrible loss to our staff."

Larson thanked the district's crisis team members for their help in counseling students and staff, and for assistance from other counselors and from the McCook Ministerial Association.

* The board approved a two-year contract with Eakes Office Plus of McCook. The lease agreement will be $2,107.77 per month, and the cost per copy for the service and supplies agreement will be $.008 per copy. The agreement includes new copiers for East and North Wards, Central Elementary, the junior and senior highs, the administrative office, the Special Education Center and the LIFT classrooms. The present copiers will be used as back-ups.

Business Manager Randall Datus said the district makes about 165,000 copies per month and about 2 million annually.

* The board approved the administrator compensation guide for 2004-2005.

* The board discussed personnel in a closed session.