Superintendent Dr. Roushi turned the board’s March 20 construction update over to Ken Matthews of CB Development Services, who outlined progress and cost items for the Coopertown and Chatham school projects and answered board questions.

Matthews told the board the Coopertown project is formally out to bid, with bids due April 8 and a return to the board targeted for the April 24 meeting “with the hope to approve the project to proceed.” He said the district saw a good pre-bid turnout and that contractors will factor in current material-cost uncertainty — including tariffs — when preparing lump-sum bids.

Matthews said Chatham is “getting under roof” and that building enclosure and brickwork are beginning. He reported the rear addition is running a few weeks behind earlier expectations but said the schedule and final completion date have not changed. He described a number of change-order requests tied to winter-weather protection and to several bid alternates, including a missed price for hallway quartz tile that was not included in the bid documents. Matthews said the quartz-tile item represents a substantial, previously unpriced cost that will not delay the schedule.

On contingency funds, Matthews said the district initially budgeted a $1.5 million contingency for both Chatham and the middle-school project. Before the change orders presented on March 20 the contingency balance was “a little over $700,000.” After the items presented that evening he said the remaining contingency was approximately $427,000 and that there are additional items still being tracked that could require future board approval.

Matthews reported a water-main break beneath the basketball court at Chatham. He said the pipe was an existing, roughly 60-year-old main and that district and contractor investigation shows it did not result from the current construction work; repairs were handled promptly while the site contractor was on premium time and the district is pursuing reimbursement through insurance.

The board approved a motion to “accept the recommendation of owner's representative CB Development Services Incorporated and authorize the change orders” (item 6b on the agenda). The motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: The bids and pending change orders affect near-term construction budgets and the district’s remaining contingency for two projects. Trustees pressed administration on schedule, contingency levels and which costs might be recoverable by insurance, underscoring that further approvals could be required as change-order work continues.

What’s next: Coopertown bids are due April 8; the board expects to review bids at its April 24 meeting. Administration will continue to log change-order requests and notify the board of items that require formal action or that affect the contingency balance.