FR Schools accept bid

FORT RECOVERY — A contractor has been selected for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) project planned for this summer.

Fort Recovery School Board accepted a $870,000 bid Friday from Smith-Boughan Mechanical Service Solutions of Lima, Ohio, for replacing HVAC equipment at Fort Recovery Elementary and Middle School.

The elementary and middle school building has variable air volume control boxes that control airflow. The boxes are original to the building, which was constructed more than 20 years ago, and they’re outdated and difficult to find replacement parts for. Plans call for replacing the boxes and related controls. 

Smith-Boughan Mechanical Service Solutions’s offer came in at approximately 12% lower than the project’s original estimate of $990,000. 

School board entered into an agreement in January with Garmann Miller of Minster for architectural and engineering services related to upgrading the school’s HVAC equipment. Garmann Miller also conducted a facilities assessment on the district’s assets last year and shared its findings in October with board members, detailing various building repairs the district could expect to make in the next 25 years. One of those repairs in the company’s presentation included the HVAC units at the elementary and middle school.

The district hosted an open house for contractors to conduct a site review at the building March 6. School officials and Garmann Miller architects opened bids Tuesday, and school board scheduled a special session Friday solely to approve a contract for the project.

Plans are to begin the work over the summer, with construction expected to be completed by Aug. 15.