The South Orange-Maplewood School District’s $160M Long Range Facilities Plan — ultimately impacting every school building across the district — took one more step towards realization on May 10, when the Board of Education awarded a $22.4M contract for renovations and additions for Clinton and Jefferson elementary schools.
The contract for a total of $22,410,000 was awarded to DMD Contracting LLC of Wayne, New Jersey. Construction is expected to start this summer.
In bringing resolution 4137 to a vote, BOE President Thair Joshua noted that the solicitation of bids was made on March 11, with bids received on April 28. Aid packages were requested by 22 companies and returned by 11 companies, he reported. The bids were then reviewed by legal counsel and the acting business administrator Andrea DelGuercio.
All eight BOE members who were present voted in support of the resolution — Kamal Zubieta, Johanna Wright, Courtney Winkfield, Erin Siders, Elissa Malespina, Annemarie Maini, Thair Joshua and Susan Bergin. BOE member Shannon Cuttle was experiencing technical difficulties with Zoom.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Joshua to applause from BOE members after the vote. “This has been a long time, but we are still on the way. Two down, four to go. We’re looking to seeing more of these in the coming weeks and months.”
In March, the New Jersey Department of Education approved four of construction projects submitted by the district: In addition to Clinton and Jefferson schools, the district submitted Tuscan and Seth Boyden elementary schools.
According to the district website, “Subsequent bids for the remaining two schools will be advertised in the coming weeks. Construction plans for Marshall, South Mountain Elementary and South Mountain Annex are still in the approval process.”
The projects are part of a $160M-plus Long Range Facilities Plan that will remove the temporary trailers used as classroom space, expand instruction space within the schools, provide infrastructure improvements and upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Plans for the middle schools and Columbia High School will follow, likely beginning next summer.
Read more about the LRFP here: https://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/district/business-office/lrfp/
