By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
The Colonel Crawford school board’s special meeting on Monday cleared the path for the district to move forward with demolition plans – almost immediately.
The board unanimously approved three items which all pertained to the razing of the vacant North Robinson, Sulphur Springs and Whetstone buildings. The board accepted both demolition and abatement packages for those buildings.
“We have the comfort of knowing who the good guys and who the bad guys are,” board member Norm Huber said of the School Facilities Commission being involved.
The demolition package is expected to come in under budget according to Superintendent Todd Martin. Martin said the budget is $273,935, but both the state and the board’s advisor feel it could actually be bid anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 lower than that estimate.
The same is true for the asbestos abatement package which is expected to draw a bid in the $1 million range while estimates were for $1.5 million.
“That looks good too,” Martin said.
Advertising for those bids will begin Monday with contractors for that part of the project expected to be approved at the August board meeting. Demolition will begin Sept. 3. The board also approved Gandee and Associates for project administration and inspection for abatement.
“I think it is closure for everybody,” Martin said about the old buildings coming down. “There will be some who mourn, but they (buildings) have become eyesores.”
Martin said while the board has the final decision, he expects the land at the Sulphur Springs and Whetstone sites to be sold while the district will hang on to the North Robinson site.
Demolition of portions of the current high school will be bid in a separate package once the move to the new high school wing is completed. That wing is expected to be ready for occupancy by the fall of 2015.