The bids were opened December 18 but no contracts were awarded for Kendall Central School's proposed $4,750,000 building project.

Bids ranged from $225,348 to $757,558 over the district's projected $4,750,000 referendum price. Paul Hedin, an architect from Habiterra, called it a "very active" bidding process.

"It was a very competitive process," Hedin said. "With close to half a dozen contractors bidding on each component, it boded well for the competitive nature of the proceedings, but the prices are not exactly where we planed."

Because the total construction bids exceeded the district's budget, they now have to discuss means of reducing the base price tag to make the project viable and still remain within the budget, he said.

Hedin presented possible bid award alternatives that ranged from awarding the base bid, which still came in at more than one quarter of a million dollars above the $4,750,000, to awarding all base bids and all alternatives. That proposal came in at $757,558 above the voter-approved price tag.

Other alternatives included awarding base bids and alternate seven that included installing air conditioning in the high school auditorium. The air conditioning unit in the auditorium has not functioned properly in more than 10 years, board members said. School Superintendent Michael O'Laughlin said the facility is being utilized more frequently than in the past and the need for the air conditioning is evident during graduation ceremony and various other school activities. That alternative was $290,063 higher than the district budgeted for.

"I would hate to see the project jeopardized to fix something that hasn't worked in more than 10 years," Kevin Noon said.

Noon and his wife, Kathy, who are owners of K&K Markets, have donated 40.227 acres of land to the district as part of the project. The land will be utilized as the future home of a fitness facility, an all weather track, both of which will be open to the community, five softball-baseball diamonds, five tennis courts, two lighted basketball courts, a new bus garage and a 108-car parking lot.

The idea behind the project, O'Laughlin said, was to give the school a "campus community." The project will be a bridge between the community and the school. It will give Kendall a "center" he said.

While the sports facilities and the bus garage are the main components of the project, safety issues will also be addressed within the scope of the capital plan. The project will improve safety for the students by making provisions for the construction of a second access road to the high school.

Also included in the project are funds to replace the septic system at the elementary school and to refurbish the septic system at the high school. Replacement of air conditioners in the high school and other air handling needs will be addressed. Updating of the drainage system and the addition of bleachers to meet the anticipated needs inherent with the upgrading of the sports facilities are also in the scope of the project.

Hedin presented the board with various cost-cutting measures that would enable them to shave enough money off the price but still offer the taxpayers the project they had agreed to during the referendum process.

Board member Wayne Pruner said he felt comfortable with the alternatives presented.

"There was a lot of guesswork in the last project," he said. "This project is better laid out than the past and I have a good feeling about it, even with the change orders."

Donald Snyder, board president, said the district now has access to the funds at a lower interest rate than originally anticipated but during the 18 months the project has been worked on, the price of items and materials necessary for the construction have risen.

"The cuts we are looking at are relatively painless," Pruner said.

"You have 45 days from the opening of the bids to sign any contracts," Hedin said. "You aren't obligated to award anything tonight."

The board will be meeting at a future date to decide the next course of action with the awarding of the bids.