Following the successful passage of the Moniteau County R-1 School District's Proposition 2020 in the municipal election earlier this month, work on bond issue projects is progressing already.
Work on the high school parking lot and sidewalks began on June 9 and is projected to be completed by September of this year, and roofing work at the high school - minus the new addition and the gymnasium - was underway starting Monday and will finish by Aug. 1. Work to replace the elementary gym floor also began Monday and is slated to finish by the end of June. Security camera installation at the elementary and high school and network infrastructure upgrade work are both scheduled to begin June 22, with both projects to be completed during the summer.
Other work - such as installation of classroom lockout devices and parking lot and sidewalk work at the elementary and middle schools - is slated to begin following completion of the district's new construction, which will add more than 20 new instructional spaces between the elementary and middle schools.
Superintendent Dwight Sanders said being able to do preliminary work for bidding for the various projects included in the $10.75 million general obligation bond helped with the quick start. Sanders said this legwork allowed the district to pre-bid just about everything prior to the election.
"Now, we can hit the ground running and really make the most of this summer and get a lot of projects done," Sanders said. "I want to be able to assure our taxpayers and patrons that when I say 'Our bonding capacity is $10.75 million and these are the things that are going to be accomplished with those dollars,' in my mind and in my heart, I want to know that's feasible. So as much of the legwork as we can do ahead of the vote, the greater confidence I've got to say 'Hey, this is going to happen.'"
Sanders said after this preliminary work about $521,000 is still available to make up for contingencies in project costs or planned changes. From a budgetary perspective, Sanders said he feels good about everything working out as expected since bidding largely is already complete.
The ballot measure passed overwhelmingly in the election, with nearly 70 percent of voters in favor. Sanders said the district is grateful for the community's support and the help of the members of the bond issue's steering committee, considering the large size of the bond issue.
"And then you throw in COVID-19 and the economy and the fact that our campaign was disrupted for two months - I was extremely pleased with the 70 percent yes vote that we got," Sanders said. "A message we took from that is that our community really supports its schools."