Keheley, Davis Renovations Approved

and elementary school staffers and students will find spruced-up buildings and campuses when they return for the 2012-13 year.

The approved construction contracts for SPLOST-funded work at both Northeast Cobb schools during its meeting Thursday night.

Keheley will get .

The base project included enlarging a viewing window from the front office to the lobby, renovating all restrooms, resurfacing the playground, and replacing damaged glass in the windows in the clerestory, where leaking has been a perennial problem.

Superintendent Michael Hinojosa’s staff recommended three additional items:

• Replacing the metal roof in the clerestory, eliminating the source of the leaks and preventing future repairs, at a cost of $119,000.
• Replacing the light fixtures in that area for $3,500.
• Resurfacing the north playground for $38,000, to be reimbursed by a Sprite Spark Parks for Schools grant.

That made the total cost of the project $1.02 million, 59 percent over the projected budget.

“I know the work needs to be done,” said board member Kathleen Angelucci, whose North Cobb district includes Keheley, but she wanted to know why the budget estimate was so far off.

The answer came down to changing market conditions.

Despite the budget overruns, board member David Banks, who represents most of Northeast Cobb, including Davis but not Keheley, proposed adding three more optional renovations to the project:

• Replacing water coolers for $3,300.
• Replacing windows in the administration area for $4,600.
• Installing carpet tile in the administration area for $1,500.

That motion passed 4-3, with Alison Bartlett, David Morgan and Tim Stultz opposed.

The final contract with of Kennesaw for $1,030,900 passed 6-1. Bartlett voted no.

The vote to pass the Davis work, part of a package that includes and middle schools, was 7-0.

Under Davis’ portion of the $666,875 contract, Cablik Enterprises of Atlanta will:

• Paint.
• Install metal fencing around the exterior mechanical equipment to replace a rotted wooden fence at a cost of $2,400.
• Replace six exterior metal doors that Deputy Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said are too rusted to repair ($28,000).
• Add the school’s name to the outside of the building in metal lettering, just like every other school in the county ($4,800).

The work at Davis is expected to be done by July 20, while the finish date at Keheley is July 23.

One other Northeast Cobb note from the meeting: The of the was postponed to a future meeting, but the wrestling team was honored for winning the AAAA state championships in both and formats this year.

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