County schools to review bids to build new middle school

Bids for Orange County’s newest middle school soon might be up for approval, if rising construction costs do not hinder the plans.

The Orange County Board of Education has received bids for the district’s third middle school, which it will review at its meeting tonight.

The new middle school, which broke ground Nov. 30, will be built on a 100-acre site in Efland and is co-located with a soccer complex.

“We do have a bid packet that we’re hoping to be able to approve,” said board Chairwoman Libbie Hough.

According to today’s agenda, bids were accepted from four contractors: J.H. Allen Inc., Indicor, Starr Electric Co. Inc. and ABL and Associates Plumbing LLC.

Each contractor covers a different aspect of construction such as electric or plumbing.

Hough said that using one general contractor to oversee everything was considered, but having a number of different contractors was chosen to save money.

The school board will look at the report today, which recommends that the board award contracts to the bidders for the construction phase of the school.

But Hough said the approval is contingent upon the Orange County Board of Commissioners, which will have to reallocate funds to cover budget overruns before construction can begin.

Costs for building the school have increased by about $3 million over its initial budget, she said.

The commissioners will look at the plans tonight and decide whether to let the project move forward with the overruns.

“Everything has really gone up in the last year, especially,” said Joseph Tullos, budget director for county schools.

“Construction costs have gone through the ceiling.”

The rising costs have caused some problems because funding for the project was centered on the original estimates, Tullos said.

Hough said school districts across the country are experiencing rising costs in materials such as steel.

She added that the school board will wait to hear from the commissioners before approving the bids package.

The new middle school is slated to open for the 2006-07 school year.

“We’re on a very tight time schedule,” she said.

Hough added that if the extra costs are not funded, the plans will need to be re-evaluated, which might cause a delay.

But so far, the commissioners have been amenable to the plans, Hough said.

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