VIENNA — A Waynesville construction company was the low bidder on the Maries R-1 safety improvements projects and received approval from the school board during a special meeting last Monday morning.

R-1 Superintendent Mark Parker reported Bales Construction Company, Inc., Waynesville, was the total low bidder for all bids at $509,800. The safety improvements Bales Construction will be doing at the Vienna campus include new exterior door, safety entrances, and replacing and reducing the number of windows in classrooms in the middle school and elementary school.

The work is extensive and was bid in three phases. The first phase 1A to 1C includes the work for safety entryways and exterior doors in the elementary and junior high. It was separated out because $86,000 of the project will be paid for by a school violence prevention grant Parker was able to obtain. The work includes man traps in both the main high school and elementary school entrances. A man trap is a small space having two separate sets of interlocking doors. One door has to be closed and locked before the other will open, thus “trapping” a person in the vestibule or hall area. This is a safety precaution against possible intruders who mean harm. 

This construction phase also includes replacing all of the old, exterior doors in the elementary and middle school, which is about 10 doors. The glass will be taken out and the doorways reframed with a reduced amount of glass in the replacement doors. Glass doors are considered a safety issue as they allow a line of sight for potential intruders or shooters. Bales Construction bid for his phase at $178,000.

The Phase 1D part of the bid is for furnishings for the high school office after the man trap is built. There will be a built-in desk and counter in the reception area for the high school secretary. The secretary will monitor who comes into the building at this entryway. Bales bid $3,800 on this phase. The next lowest bid for this phase was $17,360 by Reese Construction of Dixon. Parker said he can’t explain the big difference as GBH Builders, Inc. was the high bidder on this phase at $53,935.

Phase 2 of the bid covers replacing all the classroom windows in the elementary school and middle school. This is a big job because there is radiator heat in the middle school that will need to be taken out and replaced in seven middle school classrooms, and also in the agriculture room and the FACS room. Parker said in a room that has seven windows, the number will be reduced to two. The windows are the same as those used in the new high school building. This is both a safety and energy saving improvement. Parker commented when all of those large windows were put in it probably was because there was no air conditioning in the building so they opened windows in the classrooms. Bales Construction bid $328,000 on this part of the project. 

Bales Construction, in the bid, stated the company will use subcontractors Pulaski County Masonry, G & B for HVAC, and Meyer Electrical. 

The work is set for completion August 9, 2021, which is about two weeks before the 2021-2022 school year will begin. Parker said they are working on a plan for summer school during a construction project, which may include moving students to the high school as the exterior door work will be the first part of the construction project. 

Parker said Bales Construction has experience working with school districts. The company built the Waynesville Career Center, the Sixth Grade Center and is currently building the Waynesville Junior High. He said the company “is very qualified.” He said the engineer estimated the project cost and the Bales Construction bid was within $7,000 of the engineer’s estimate. The school board members thought this was a good bid, as well.

The other bidders submitted total bids included Cahill Construction, Rolla, $555,000; GBH Builders, Inc., Jefferson City, $559,750; and Reese Equipment Company, LLC $696,978.

Parker said the board wants the R-1 campus to be one that people will say, “I want to go there.” He said the facilities were not where they needed to be and now with the bond issue approved by R-1 voters, these needed projects can be done. 

The next phase will be the hallway addition at the south entrance to the gym and the new band room. A new, modern and equipped concession area will be added including tables and chairs. Then, the parking lot will be addressed in some way.

With the prime bonds, the R-1 School District had about $2.8 million to spend on safety upgrades and facility improvements.