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Second phase draws near
FHS construction continues
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Progress continues at Fennimore Middle/High School. The Fennimore Community Schools Board of Education learned last week the renovation and construction remains within two percent of its budget with a little over three months remaining. - photo by Robert Callahan photo

The Fennimore Community Schools Board of Education received an update concerning the construction progress at Fennimore Middle/High School during its semi-monthly meeting Wednesday evening, April 29.

Board members as a whole toured the school  following a meeting in mid-February but have not done so since.

“Since you last toured a lot of progress has been made,” District Administrator Jamie Nutter told the Board. “The wall is completely gone between the two gyms, but the plastic is still up to keep people out of the construction site.

“Interior paint is being completed and the library has two different colors. In front of the school they have brought in the rocks that be in the courtyard area that will serve as that barrier.”

Plans were modified following a visit by state inspectors, Nutter noted. Some codes required different locations for ground wires. The planned egress lighting in the gymnasium did not have enough candles in the event of an emergency, and additional fire protection strobe adjustments were required. The cost of the corrections was just over $10,000.

Nutter told the Board the project’s budget remains favorable. Considerable savings was achieved by adding counter-tops to the perimeter of the computer lab, rather than arranging the lab in rows.

“Even though from where we were at with our target budget and our guaranteed maximum price and our final construction budget, we had $30,000 set aside for contingencies,” he said. “We have went past that, but we are still within two percent of the budget. Typically at this point in the construction you can be somewhere between six and seven percent because things come up that you don’t anticipate. I am feeling pretty good about that.”

The second phase of the project will begin at the conclusion of the school year later this month.

“That is the one that they have to work really hard to make sure we meet our timeline of August 21,” Nutter said.

The Board will tour the school again on May 13.