School Board Awards Contracts to Complete BBHS and BBMS Quads and Improvement Projects; Measure Q-Funded Projects Slated to Begin June 8

Improved quads and landscaping will soon be coming to both Big Bear High School and Big Bear Middle School as the school district’s Board of Trustees this week awarded contracts for the two projects. The final phase of the high school quad improvements will include a grassy landscaped area, trees, shrubs, a level stage for performances, a concrete sitting wall and lighting, among other features. As the bids were higher than anticipated, despite the high school students’ pledge to raise $50,000, a new budget covering the $86,000 difference will be requested at the June 3 BVUSD meeting; though, in the meantime, $415,000 in contracts was approved using Measure Q funds designated for school improvements. A total of just under $639,000 in contracts was awarded for the completion of improvements to Big Bear Middle School. These improvements, also associated with Measure Q, will include sod replacement at the lower field, landscape, irrigation, lighting, a sitting wall, a monument sign and an electronic marquis. Contracts were awarded to lowest responsible bidders, including landscape, electrical and general contractors based outside of Big Bear. The school district’s Director of Business Services Walter Con explains, “Although no local contractors bid on these jobs, and therefore were not awarded these jobs, there is still a benefit to our community. By way of example, those non-local contractors eat lunch here, eat dinner here, stay in hotels and lodges, and purchase some materials from our local suppliers.” Both the Big Bear High School and Big Bear Middle School improvement projects are slated to begin on June 8, and scheduled for completion by September 15. The 2009/2010 school year begins on August 3.