R-6 construction continues to progress

SIKESTON — Sikeston R-6 School District’s building projects continue to move along on budget.

Jere Sheen with provided an update during Tuesday’s regular school board meeting on the construction of Lee Hunter Elementary and the high school’s new C Building, which has been officially named Bulldog Hall.

“We have a quick update for October,” said Jere Sheehan with Navigate Building Solutions. “In Lee Hunter Elementary, the roof has started, metal studs and wall roughing are ongoing and nearly complete with plans to start drywall fairly shortly.”

For Bulldog Hall, the major activity there is the safe space thats in the hallway is in process in masonry, he said.

“As of Tuesday, the block is done. Kiefner Brothers is in the process of forming out the concrete lid and that will get poured shortly. I don’t have a firm date but tentatively steel comes in early November,” Sheehan said.

The schedule update for the next steps is to complete the interior metal studs and wall roughing. The face brick will continue and the roof will be completed, according to Sheehan. Drywall for Bulldog Hall will begin, he said.

“They were mobilizing to get the concrete poured on the roof and then they’ll be able to start the steel,” Sheehan said.

Board member Matt Tanner asked Sheehan if there any supply chain issues.

“So far so good,” Sheehan said. “That’s really it. It’s all good news.

He continued: “The fact we’re almost under roof at Lee Hunter, and we’re starting steel at Bulldog Hall which was, by design, six weeks later than Lee Hunter, we’re in good shape.”

Tanner also asked about the pricing of materials.

“The vendors are going through a certain amount of pain, but the client is not,” Sheehan replied.

R-6 Director of Finance Cheryl Essner asked Sheehan for the status of the project contingencies.

“We still have the unforeseen contingencies,” Sheehan said. “We have a good, positive balance for both both jobs. We came out of the ground without spending any money on unforeseen soil conditions so we’re in good shape.”

In action by the Board on Tuesday, the bid for the general contractor for the Kindergarten Center safe room/multipurpose building project was awarded to S.M. Wilson and Co.

“Our committee met and we had two low bids from Sides Construction and S.M. Wilson,” Robinson said. “Looking at both, we decided to go with the lowest bid of S.M. Wilson for the kindergarten safe room, considering his is a FEMA project. Both had local vendors; Sides had more, but because it’s a FEMA project and federal money, we decided to go with the low bidder to keep the project clean.”

Board member Rebecca Steward thanked those who were on the committee for their time.

“And S.M. Wilson is doing a great job at Lee Hunter, so it works,” Robinson added.

Essner also noted the difference between the first and second bid with all the alternates was $100,000.