West Aurora School District OKs projects worth $4.5 million

West Aurora School District 129 campuses will get an estimated $4.5 million in infrastructure and building upgrades coming up.

The West Aurora School Board this week approved seven low bid contracts that included $864,000 in recommended work added to the base bids for improvements to campuses across the district.

Going out to bid early in the year produced competitive bids and gave the district flexibility to do additional work related to the projects, said West Aurora Assistant Superintendent of Operations Angie Smith.

“We did come in under our original budget on some projects that gave us the flexibility to take a substantial number of alternates,” Smith said.

The bids were presented by district architect Pat Callahan of StudioGC and capital projects manager Pat Dacy.

“We were able to do more alternates. While we went over budget slightly, we did it intentionally because we got better value doing it this year rather than waiting until next year,” Callahan told The Beacon-News.

Joliet-based Advantage Paving Solutions Inc. was awarded a $1,483,770 contract for paving improvements. The board approved seven alternates for additional paving upgrades at Hall Elementary and Schneider Elementary schools as well as at Herget and Washington middle schools.

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Lite Construction, of Montgomery, was awarded a $958,290 contract for replacement of more than 100 windows at Freeman Elementary and door replacements at Hall and Goodwin elementary schools as well as at West Aurora High School.

Melrose Park-based DCG Roofing had the low bid at $673,460 for roof repair and replacement at Hall Elementary and Hope D. Wall School. The contract includes an alternate for roof repair to an addition at Hope D. Wall.

Mertes Contracting, of Broadview, was awarded a $611,094 contract for masonry repair and maintenance projects at Freeman Elementary and the West Aurora Learning Center. The contract includes three alternates for tuckpointing and masonry restoration to West Aurora High School stadium buildings.

John’s Service and Sales, of Oglesby, was awarded a $404,049 contract for mechanical improvements at Hope D. Wall.

North-Aurora based Douglas Flooring was awarded a low bid of $212,100 for flooring abatement and replacement at Nicholson Elementary that includes two alternates for related work.

Holian Asbestos Removal, of Spring Grove, was the low bidder at $103,500 for asbestos abatement at Nicholson Elementary.

Some of the work will be done over multiple fiscal years, West Aurora School District Superintendent Jeff Craig said.

“While we are being responsible over our expenditures, we are also trying to reinvest in our facilities,” Craig told the board. “The preventative maintenance is extremely important so we are spending money now and not spending more to replace later on.”

The planning on the projects was done over several months, he said.

“We are being judicious in how we spend our dollars but also making sure we have equitable learning environments across the district,” Craig said.

The board praised the work of the administration.

“We appreciate the district trying to pinch your pennies, be wise in what we are doing and save us money in the long run. A lot of places needed work,” West Aurora School Board member Richard Kerns said.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.