The Ohio School Facilities Commission delayed bidding for the new Pettisville School building.

Members of the Pettisville School Board met in special session, Friday, March 5, to approve bidding documents and to approve advertising for bids for construction of the new school building.

But bidding was delayed at the request of the OSFC. Commission officials said they needed more time to review the bidding documents.

Also, OSFC officials wanted more time to look over responses of Brent Buehrer, lead architect on the new school project. Buehrer responded to OSFC comments on his plans.

At the Pettisville School Board meeting, Monday, March 8, district officials said they plan to begin advertising for bids for the new $21 million school building on Friday, March 12, if the OSFC does not call for further delays.

Buehrer, who attended the board meeting, said he expects no further delays.

Due Tuesday, April 6

The current schedule calls for the bids to be due at 2 pm, Tuesday, April 6.

Buehrer told the board the architects would need at least a week to research the bids after they had been submitted. The firm would then conduct interviews of the bidders prior to making a recommendation.

Current projections call for the district to move into the new pre-K through 12th grade facility in Fall 2011.

Using money from Ohio’s settlement with the tobacco industry, the Ohio School Facilities Commission is funding new school buildings throughout the state. Area school districts that have benefited include Gorham Fayette, Stryker, Wauseon, and Delta.

Voters in the Pettisville Local School District approved a $4.8 million bond issue on Nov. 4, 2008, which covered the local share of the new building. OSFC money will pay 82% of the project cost.

Site work has been completed.

Wind Turbine

The Pettisville school board also approved a potential budget for the construction of a wind turbine that could supply power for the new facility.

Steve Switzer, Pettisville school superintendent, stressed that approving the budget did not commit the district to spending the funds.

Rather, it was a step ahead in the project that is waiting for approval of federal and state grant money to assist the district.

The approved budget would have a projected total cost of $1.6 million, with local funds providing $80,000 from school district permanent improvement funds.

Projections state the wind turbine project could pay for itself with savings in energy costs in nine years.

Studies show that the turbine could supply nearly all of the power needed for the district, producing savings in both electrical and natural gas expenses.– D.J. Neuenschwander