THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501130500
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: POPLAR BRANCH LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
The new Currituck County high school may look a little different and contain fewer frills than previously planned if the School Board approves scores of cost-cutting measures introduced Thursday.
Board members also were warned that ``there are a lot of items that will cost you more later'' if cuts are made now, project architect Michael Ross said.
Ross was referring to nearly 150 proposals designed to reduce construction costs.
Schools officials were shocked last month when the lowest bid for the facility came in $3.7 million over the $11.9 million budgeted.
Schools Superintendent W.R. ``Ronnie'' Capps said prior to Thursday's meeting that the higher price tag resulted, in large part, from increased costs for building materials.
``I guess we expected it to be a little over the estimates, but not in the neighborhood of $3.7 million,'' Capps said.
The lower of two bids was made by J.H. Hudson Construction Co. of Greenville, a general contractor that offered to do the job for $15,112,404.
Suggested cuts amounting to $2.3 million include substituting red bricks for the more costly gray originally planned, building a sloped roof in place of a curved one, and trimming landscaping plans.
Preliminary construction on the 159,455-square-foot facility in Barco is expected to begin within 30 days, Capps said, in order to open in the fall of 1996.
``It's critical to decide what we want to do within 30 days if we are to keep to that time line,'' he said.
The School Board will use $13.9 million of $19 million in bond money approved by Currituck County voters in November 1993.
Like many schools throughout the rapidly growing county, Currituck County High School has experienced overcrowded conditions.
The current, 80,500-square-foot high school opened in the 1976-77 school year and was built to hold 600 students. This year, 790 students are enrolled.
When the new school is completed, the former high school will become the new junior high school. Knapp Junior High in Currituck will be converted into an elementary school.
The shift is expected to ease crowding in other schools in the northern end of the county, particularly Moyock Elementary School, which has about 120 more students than the state recommends.
Construction of a new elementary school in Moyock was dropped from a $25 million schools expansion plan when county officials reduced the bond referendum to ensure a better chance of passage.
The only other new facility on the agenda is an elementary school in Jarvisburg.
The board invited residents to attend a special meeting on the school at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Knapp Junior High School.
The Board of Commissioners plans a special work session at 7 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Senior Citizens Center in Currituck to discuss the project. by CNB