HAZARD — The Hazard Independent Board of Education recently approved contracts for work on two of the district’s school buildings.
Workers will begin renovations on the Hazard Middle School on Broadway and Roy G. Eversole Elementary School in Walkertown as soon as the end of the month, noted Superintendent Sandra Johnson.
The bids came back in a very exciting way for school officials since they will now be able to complete additional projects at both schools, and possibly even the high school. The lowest bid came in for both schools from one construction company, MacKnight and Associates from London.
“The way the bids came, we were able to do all of the alternates,” said Johnson.
The district will be selling their bonds in just a few weeks and construction could start shortly after that.
“The bond sale is July the 26th, so as soon as the bonds are sold (work can begin), and then there is a 200 calendar day completion date,”she said.
The price of all of the renovations is just over $4 million, with the bulk of the cost going to renovate the elementary school on Broadway.
“The elementary package in construction cost is going to be $2,655,100 and the middle school package is going to be $1,442,000,” said Johnson. “We had already done a project there in the last school year.”
The schools will be receiving a number of improvements including air conditioning, cubbies, new front office suite, bathrooms and windows. In order to prepare for these improvements, the schools began doing some work in-house during last school year. According to Johnson, the middle school, which is currently Walkertown School, received new floor tile, bleachers in the gym, and lockers.
Johnson said that she is excited to start the process, but she is more excited for it to be finished since the project will be going on during school the upcoming school year.
“I am ready for it to be finished,” she said. “I just think the comfort in the buildings is going to be so much greater. The aesthetics of the buildings is going to be much better.”
While one contractor is going to be doing both schools, the board did have the option to choose two different contractors.
“It was bid out both ways,” said Johnson. “It was bid as a total package or a contractor could bid on one job or the other.”
She said while they were not trying for one way or the other, having just one contractor could make the project run smoother.
With the money the school will have left over in bonding potential from the bids coming in lower than expected, Johnson said they are hoping to add another project to the list of school improvements.
“It left us some bonding potential. We will be doing some additional work,” she noted. “One of the top considerations is replacing the HVAC system in the high school.”
The work at the schools should be completed within the first half of the school year.
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