Published: May 15, 2008 10:38 am            

$39,709 in change orders approved for new elementary, high school

Deer Creek — With the school year drawing to a close, Deer Creek School District is well under way paving the road for the 2008-09 school year to begin.

In Monday night’s meeting, School Board members voted to approve Change Order Requests in the amount of $39,709 for both the new fourth elementary school, Grove Valley Elementary, and Deer Creek High School.

Change orders in the amount of $33,000 were approved by Board members for Grove Valley Elementary. The contracted cost of the new elementary is $8,215,000.

“The increases are required by Oklahoma City in order to meet City requirements,” said Director of Operations Richard Vrooman.

Contractor change orders approved include $2,875 for a sanitary sewer line, $27,880 for a fire line and $2,245 for a storm sewer pipe.

Board members approved a plumbing change order in the amount of $4,800 for installation of a 4-inch sanitary sewer line.

“We have about $100,000 in contingency money set back to cover Change Orders throughout the building process,” Vrooman said. “Contingency money is figured by a percentage of the contracted amount.”

An additional 14 hand dryers in Grove Valley restrooms also were approved by Board members for a total of $2,421.

“The addition of the hand dryers will cost more money in the front end,” Vrooman said, “but it will save money in the back end.”

Vrooman said the cost of the addition of the hand dryers probably will be saved plus an additional amount by the end of the first school year.

“We are trying to do things more green. but the bottom line is money,” Vrooman said. “If we can save money and bear the initial expense we will go ahead with it.”

At Deer Creek High School change orders for a total of $6,709 were approved bringing the construction total to $5,671,000.

Vrooman also reported pad work is being completed at the high school for the new portable to be delivered on May 25.

“We are having to raise the pad between 18 and 20 inches because of water problems,” Vrooman said.

At Rose Union the walls of the southwest portable have been checked for mold and reconstructed as well as the floor. Vrooman reported new carpet has been installed.

“Clean Air Testing will be completed on all three west portables as soon as school is out,” Vrooman said.

Superintendent of Schools Becky Wilkinson pointed out that none of the portables have ever had students in them.

“The testing is being done so we will all have peace of mind,” Wilkinson said.

Vrooman told Board members the projected completion date for Grove Valley is March 30, 2009, although he said he expects that date will be extended several times due to weather.

A “green school” presentation was made to Board members by school patron Kenny Dennis.

Board member Jan Larson said if the district was ever going to talk about doing anything “green” with the building of new schools, they were going to have to do better on projections of what buildings are going to cost.

Following the meeting, Vrooman said when a district considers building green that additional long-term planning would be necessary.

At the middle school, the ground has been leveled and prepared for two new portables. Vrooman said the first two new portables will be delivered and installed today.

Vrooman said the State Fire Marshall already has approved the plans for portables at both school sites.

At Deer Creek Elementary, Renaissance Architects are working on plans for an eight- to four-classroom expansion. Portable work is on hold pending Oklahoma City authorizing permits.

“Renaissance Architects is working daily on the permit issue,” Vrooman said.

Vrooman reported the State Fire Marshall conducted its annual Life Safety Inspection of all Deer Creek Public Schools buildings, except for the high school, which will be inspected at a later date.

“Debbie Straughn at Deer Creek Elementary had the best report in the district,” Vrooman said.

Most items found lacking were minor in nature, Vrooman said, and in some cases new requirements were updated.

“No violations were cited, this was just some deficiencies noted on older buildings,” Vrooman said.

Wilkinson said she was pleased with the inspection and thought it went very well.



pmiller@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 171

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.