Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Pelham (Union Free) School District.

The Board of Education announced at its meeting on Wednesday, January 29 that construction of the new Hutchinson School is set to move forward after the second round of bidding for the project produced favorable results.

At the meeting, the Board awarded contracts to the five low bidding contractors for plumbing, mechanical, electrical, site development and demolition of the current building.

The Board is still conducting due diligence on the general contracting bidders and is expected to award that contract at a special meeting on Thursday, February 6.

With the favorable results on the new bids, the Board elected to award contracts for renovations at the high school and middle school, which includes conversion of the current central office space into classrooms. This work is expected to begin in the spring. Bids for masonry repairs at each building and the replacement of the PMHS Annex roof are still being vetted.

Construction plans for the final component of the Proposition 1 work, an expansion at Prospect Hill to include a new secure entrance, an elevator for accessibility as well as bathroom upgrades have been approved by the New York State Education Department and will soon be put to public bid.

Work to replace the tennis courts and install a turf field at Glover have slowed for the winter and will resume in the spring. Irrigation and renovation of the Prospect Hill field, also a component of Proposition 2, will be bid along with the renovation work at that school.

Overall, the building projects in Proposition 1 of the 2018 Capital Improvement bond are tracking slightly over budget, while the fields/athletics projects in Proposition 2 are tracking under budget. At the meeting, there was a discussion about the need to transfer unspent funds from Proposition 2 to cover the excess costs in Proposition 1 so that all projects outlined in the bond proposal could be completed within the $57.5 million budget for the capital improvement bond. Dr. Champ explained that the Board would need to seek the community’s approval at a public vote to transfer funds between the propositions. The transfer will likely appear as a proposition alongside the annual budget vote on May 19.