The South Callaway R-II Schools Board of Education voted Wednesday night to not accept a bid for the multi-purpose building and, in a separate vote, decided to table discussion of the project until January. The vote on both items was close with four voting against and three voting for in both matters.
The project's bids came in about 10 percent higher than the initial price tag assigned to the package. Board member Todd Mealy, one of the no votes, said he isn't against the multi-purpose building project, but also doesn't want to rush it.
"It's a hard decision and obviously we're split," Mealy told board members Wednesday night.
The board discussed the project and what options it had for moving forward at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The multi-purpose building is one of a number of facilty upgrades in the district, all of which are being paid for through the district's capital improvement fund.
Last April, the board gave Superintendent Kevin Hillman approval to seek bids for facility upgrades totaling an estimated $5.5 million. Included in that facility upgrade list was football bleachers, a centralized locker room and concession stand, football and track lights, softball and baseball fields, installation of security doors, the multi-purpose building and other items throughout the district.
Of the facility upgrades, Hillman said the multi-purpose building is the "biggest ticket item" on the list. With the progress the district has made on some of the other facility upgrades on the list, Hillman said now was a good time to continue to complete its upgrades list.
"We feel like this is a window where we can complete these projects," Hillman told the board Wednesday night.
Hillman told the board Wednesday night that should it vote to move forward with the multi-purpose building project at a higher cost, the district's budget would still be fine. Board member Heidi Powers echoed Mealy's sentiments and said she didn't understand why the project needed to be "rushed" to be completed this year.
Mealy said he has only had one person from the community tell him they think the multi-purpose building is necessary.
"We work for them," Mealy said.
Mealy asked a few teachers and other community members about the project and told the board Wednesday that not many people seemed to understand why it's important. He said waiting until next year to move forward with the project will give the board time to better inform the district and community.
Board president Mark Laughlin said he thought the board should move forward with the project so students could start using the new space. Board member Kit Glover said she worried about how the district would look to potential bidders. If, she said Wednesday night, the district continues to put projects out for bid then hold off of them all together, bidders may be less likely to place bids on future district projects.