By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Construction will start in the next two weeks on a new Carthage Vocational-Technical School.
The project attracted bids from 11 contractors, and bids came in under the engineer’s estimates, members of the Carthage R-9 School Board were told Monday night.
“The bids were very competitive, which we expected in this economic climate,” said Gary Jackson of Hight Jackson Associates, the district’s architects on the project. “Six or seven were within $100,000.”
Members accepted the low bid, $3,656,000 from Wehr Construction Co., Springfield. The board also approved several alternatives, including a covered walkway to the new high school, that will add about $76,000 to the base bid.
Costs for the project will be paid by state funds and a grant from the Steadley Foundation of Carthage.
The new building is expected to be complete by July 2010. It will be the second building on the campus of the just-completed Carthage High School at River Street and Airport Drive. Students started classes in the new high school on March 23, and board members during the session heard an update on final details to be finished on the building and work to renovate the old high school for use as a junior high school.
In other business Monday, board members accepted results of the April 7 election, in which members Lee Elliff Pound and Michael Goolsby were re-elected to three-year terms.
The board also reorganized. Jeff Jones was elected as board president, replacing Danny Lambeth. Mark Westhoff was elected as vice president, Pound as secretary and Goolsby as treasurer. All of the new officers were elected by acclamation.
In other business, the board:
Heard and approved an update on district technology programs from Cindy Rogers.
Approved several revisions to district policies.
Rescheduled to June 27 a board meeting that normally would be held June 15.
Honored several students, including presenting gold awards to members of the high school student council and the junior high leadership council. Special board awards called “Do the Right Thing” were given to Elizabeth Shannon, a ninth-grader, and Michael Aleshire, an 11th-grader.
Approved the hiring of teachers James Brooks, Nick Pfeifer, Patricia Wakefield and Jared Wilkinson, high school; Steven Stay, junior high; Elizabeth English, Autumn Peters and Heather Woodall, middle school; and Hannah Goshert, Gregory Hatfield and Jennifer Sewell, at Fairview Elementary School.
Open house
An open house is set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at 2534 Stephen St., for the house built by carpentry students at the Carthage Vo-Tech School. Bids on the house will be accepted until noon on May 18. The minimum bid is $165,550.
