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By Jeanne Spath
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
Each month the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors hear a report about the county’s public schools by the Superintendent, Dr. Robert Chappell. On Monday the report stirred numerous questions by board members as Chappell provided a listing of the actual bids received for construction to renovate the existing buildings and new constructions.
Chappell reported that he too was concerned with the additional costs, especially since the bids were received from only one contractor, Lantz Construction of Winchester.
“I’m not sure why we only received one bid,” Chappell said.
However, with the increased costs, Chappell’s recommendation to the Board of Supervisors was to eliminate building a new auxiliary gym for the high school, which would cost $1,333 million as opposed to the estimated $680,000.
“We are trying to negotiate the best possible bid we can get,” Chappell explained, “but due to the war in Iraq and rebuilding in China and other countries, construction costs are increasing.”
County Administrator, John McCarthy inquired, “Is the school board open to other suggestions?”
Chappell responded that they would entertain other suggestions, to which McCarthy offered to remove classroom addition at the elementary school as well as the bid for a new track at the high school, bidding out the track separately with $300,000 appropriated toward the construction.
Chappell voiced his disapproval of the suggestion, saying, “If you delete the classroom space, you will spend more money per square-foot in the future.”
The superintendent went on to explain that the actual amount available to be spent was closer to $3.7 or $3.84 million since the architect would need to be paid.
In quick response, Supervisor Ronald Frazier of
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