MENTONE - Four last bid categories for the Tippecanoe Valley High School building renovation project unanimously were approved by the school board Monday as recommended.

Bart York, executive vice president of Skillman Corp., engineers for the project, said the four bid categories were not recommended at the previous meeting because they wanted to gather more information on the contractors. One of the contractors, Skillman Corp., they were not able to conduct interviews with before last month. With a couple of contractors, York said, they have concerns on their scope of work.

For roofing, York said, they recommend Morris & Sons Construction for a base bid of $1,247,358. If the board chooses an offered alternative of a "Geoflex" roof system, the school board can potentially save $135,000. The board has 90 days to decide on the alternative.

For painting and wallcoverings, York recommended Tag Coatings for a base bid of $192,700; and for food service equipment, Stafford Smith for a base bid of $429,216.

On the fourth category for aluminum entries/glass and glazing, Skillman Corp. did not recommend the lowest bidder of J.W. Werntz & Son.

York said the Werntz company was not a "responsible contractor" on two previous occasions. Elkhart Community Schools, who has contracted with Werntz for aluminum work, indicated they would not support using them again for work based on Werntz' competence of work for aluminum entries. Also, Tri-Creek was not supportive of them.

York said seldom does Skillman not recommend the lowest bidder, but in this case, they were not going to recommend Werntz.

Therefore, York recommended to the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. board the second lowest bidder, Midwest Glass, for a base bid of $122,500.

Werntz' bid was $80,500.

"We feel very good about the contracts you received," said York. "We look forward to the project."

In other business, the school board:

• Approved the resolution for tax anticipation warrants so the school corporation may borrow money as needed when needed until the school corporation receives its tax draw money. The notice to bidders for the warrants also was approved.

• Approved a one-year agreement with Kidder & Co., Goshen, for corporation publication, three issues per year for approximately $4,995, up to 6,700 copies.

• Recognized Alisa Baker, a first-grade teacher since 1996, for being the Kosciusko County Wal-Mart 2004 Teacher of the Year. She receives $1,000 for her class.

• Recognized Wayne Landis for being nominated for the WNDU Channel 16 Quality Teacher Award. He will receive $500 and $250 for his school.

• Recognized Chase Burnau, a fourth-grader in Pam McFarland's class, and Abby Higgins, a fifth-grader in Blaine Conley's class, for entering award-winning posters in the Indiana Council for Economic Education 2004 "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" Economics Calendar Contest. Both received a $50 savings bond.

• Recognized Akron Elementary School first-graders Austin French, Madeleine Martens and Mila Smalley, Akron, for winning in the Prevent Child Abuse Poster Contest sponsored by the Prevent Child Abuse Council of Fulton County and the Local Coordinating Council of Fulton Council.

• Recognized Kendra Roberts, a fifth-grader in Julia Teel's class, for being named the Fulton County winner of the 2004 David Deuter Memorial "What Being a Good Citizen Means to Me" essay contest, sponsored by the Indiana Troopers Association. She will receive an engraved plaque and a $100 U.S. Savings Bond.

• Recognized Akron Elementary fourth-graders Danay Bowyer and Jonathan Tinkey for placing first and second place, respectively, in the fifth annual April Month of the Child Essay contest sponsored by Step Ahead of Fulton County.

• Recognized TVSC retiring teachers: Dale Pace, 33 years with TVSC; Steve Doerscher, 18 years; Joyce Cumberland, 24 years; Wayne Cumberland, 40 years; Joyce Krieger, 34 years; Ann Chubb, 22 years; and William J. Ruppel, 31 years.

• Announced the building trades' open house is May 16 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Members of the TVSC board of trustees are David O'Brien, Bryan D. Murphy, Rod Eaton, Hal Hoffman and Mark Wise. Their next two regular meetings are at 7:30 p.m. June 14 and July 12 at Mentone Elementary School. A capital projects fund and transportation fund workshop session is at 7 p.m. June 21 at Mentone. [[In-content Ad]]