Trustees approve contract with architect

With a unanimous vote, the Smithville school board approved a contract with the PBK architect firm to design a new junior high school and athletic field as well as renovations to the main campus.

School board trustees tapped PBK at their May 15 meeting after O’Connell Robertson resigned following a workshop session last month, citing “distrust” from the school board and “a caustic and hostile meeting environment.”

The board put forth two different directives: It wants to be able to keep to the construction schedule, regardless of recent delays, but also look at a more aggressive schedule on project completion; and a lower fee to the architect if a “repeat design” is used, one that’s already been constructed.

The approved contract awards PBK a 6 percent fee on base services to design the new junior high and athletic facility near the high school, along with renovations on the main campus, all projects voters approved in a $35 million bond election in November.

If the board chooses a design from one of PBK’s prior projects, the compensation rate goes down to 4.5 percent of the cost of all work.

Darrell Pearson, a PBK partner and architect, cautioned the board that a repeat design may have added site-based costs because the location is different than the first project using the design.

Pearson said they were specifically looking into using a prior design for the athletic facility but said the board may have to make some compromises on the schedule.

The breakdown of funds hasn’t changed in the standard contract. Design and creation of construction documents will make up 55 percent of the compensation to the firm. Construction is another 25 percent, with 15 percent going to the firm at the schematic design phase. The remaining 5 percent will be provided at bidding and negotiations.

After the bond election, O’Connell Robertson’s project schedule showed the athletic facility would be completed for use in fall 2018 and the junior high school a year after that.

Beginning in January 2016, O’Connell Robertson facilitated numerous community and staff meetings to determine a long-range district facilities plan as well as the $35 million bond package. The firm also worked to gain community support for the bond, provided legal wording for the election, met with staff to determine specific needs for the facilities and had received geotechnical surveys and approval from the board for site layout of facilities.

PBK representatives, who were given all prior documents and plans to date, planned to meet with Superintendent Rock McNulty to go over next steps before the next board meeting.

“We’re up to speed at this point relative to information gathered,” Pearson said.

“We’re geared up and ready to go.”