Schools
School Officials: Contingency Fund for Marple Newtown High School Project is Tight
Some $300,000 remains in the fund, which started out with $2.5 million set aside for the high school renovation and addition project contingencies.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–The senior project manager for the renovation and addition project to told that while they should be concerned that the amount of money left in the contingency fund for the project is “tight,” he expects the contingencies to slow down.
Tim Sullivan, senior project manager for Reynolds Construction Management, provided the Marple Newtown School Board’s Facilities and Transportation Committee with an update on the high school renovation and addition project at a committee meeting on Tuesday night.
Out of a $2.5 million contingency fund for the high school project, the school district has about $300,000 left in the fund for change order contingencies, Sullivan said.
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In addition, Sullivan said Reynolds Construction would like to get the school board’s approval for using an additional $51,900 from the contingency fund for exterior wall finishes due to the poor condition of the face brick.
If that change order is approved, it would leave about $250,000 in the contingency fund, an amount which Sullivan described as “tight."
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School Board Vice President Richard Sokorai asked if Sullivan anticipated that the contingencies would slow down or continue to accelerate.
Sullivan said he expects the contingencies to slow down.
When school board members asked Sullivan if there was reason for concern or even panic, he said there was reason for concern but the project should continue to move forward.
“I mean, obviously, be concerned,” Sullivan said. “I’m concerned.”
But Sullivan also reassured the committee that all of the change orders are scrutinized.
“Every one of these change orders gets scrubbed before it gets approved,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan also gave the committee an update on how the high school construction project is progressing.
The delivery of the metal deck for the pool is scheduled for Aug. 17, Sullivan said.
Last month’s estimate was that the gym would be completed by Oct. 11 but that date has now been pushed to Oct. 24, Sullivan said.
