NORTH BALTIMORE – After a detailed, 20-month procedure since voters first approved construction of a new
6-12 main building, the project will go to bid early next week.
Members of the North Baltimore Board of Education approved the final construction documents at their
special meeting on Tuesday, following an organizational meeting. The resolution called for authorizing
the bidding for the six main trades packages for the school’s construction.
Superintendent Marlene North explained in a phone interview Thursday the bids are expected to go out Jan.
18 or 19, with a pre-bid meeting on Jan. 27. The bids are then expected to be opened on Feb. 16.
The six main trades packages involve contractors for: General building of the school itself; electric;
plumbing; HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning); fire and fire suppressant; and site work to
include parking lots.
This is the second time the project will go to bid. The first round of bids last fall came in $2.1
million over budget. Afterwards, the design committee met several times to study an extensive list of
changes which would bring construction back under budget, but no changes were required which drastically
altered the exterior look of the school or its interior.
In fact, North noted that a great savings was made just moving the start of the project from the winter
months to April 1, including a savings of $100,000 on heating. Shortening the actual construction time
by several months will also save the district much in labor costs.
"There’s certainly a great deal of relief," stated North about this new phase of the
construction process. She added it will be an even greater relief once the bids are in, and it’s known
that the project is on budget.
But there is also excitement as district officials are "more than ready" to see the actual
construction begin. "It is with a lot of relief we’re moving ahead," North stated.
Voters will be asked, probably in May, to renew an existing tax levy that’s been on the books for 25
years. The board approved sending the levy’s dollar amount of $157,250 to the Wood County Auditor’s
Office to get a millage figure.
"It’s very small," said Treasurer Eve Baldwin by phone. "It’s a renewal for 10 years, and
there’s no increase in taxes."
During the organizational meeting the board re-elected Tami Thomas as board president and Russell Bretz
as vice president.
Members also set the monthly meetings for the fourth Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the North Baltimore Public
Library, except Aug. 30 (fifth Tuesday) and Dec. 20 (third Tuesday).