Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 12, 1991 TAG: 9103120227
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
The Franklin County School Board moved Monday to lower construction costs by deleting a dozen "bells and whistles" from the architect's design.
The Board voted to solicit new bids in hopes of starting the project this summer and completing it by August 1992.
Plans call for six new classrooms, a new boiler and air-conditioning at Burnt Chimney Elementary, which serves the northeastern portion of the county.
The high bids caught school officials by surprise and could complicate budget negotiations with the Franklin County Board of Supervisors.
School officials had expected the Burnt Chimney bids to fall well below estimates. The assumption was that contractors, anxious for work in slow economic times, would bid the price down.
But Craig Balzer, the architect, said that as many as 10 contractors refused to participate because of an unusual delayed-payment schedule.
In addition to a base bid, contractors were asked to estimate how much the project would cost if they began work this summer but did not receive their first payment until November, when the School Board is to receive $1.5 million from the state literary loan fund.
The delayed-payment option was included in the bid request because the Board of Supervisors so far has balked at lending the School Board up to $600,000 until the state loan is available.
Balzer, executive vice president with Balzer and Associates of Roanoke, said many contractors would not even consider a delayed-payment plan.
"They felt like the job was a farce," Balzer said.
The School Board eliminated the delayed-payment plan for its revised request for bids, meaning it will have to ask the Board of Supervisors for a loan beginning in June. The loan request will come on top of the School Board's preliminary request for an additional $400,000 in local tax revenue to balance its 1991-1992 budget.
It remains unclear whether the Board of Supervisors, which faces a tight budget in an election year, will raise taxes or dip into its $3.1 million reserve to satisfy the School Board's request.
The School Board will present its annual spending plan to the supervisors March 19.
In other action Monday, the School Board:
Tabled a decision on whether to participate in a statewide early-retirement plan until it can get more information about the long-term impact on the school budget.
Reassigned the duties of Associate Superintendent Wesley W. Naff Jr., who is retiring at the end of June. His position will remain open next year, saving the county more than $60,000 in salary and benefits.
by CNB