The board hopes to select a firm for the $20.8 million building and renovation project within several weeks in order to put the contract for approval on the December agenda.
By: Linda Seida
WEST AMWELL The South Hunterdon Regional High School Board of Education is slated to begin interviewing 10 construction management firms next week in preparation for the building and renovation work voters approved last month in a $20.8 million referendum.
The board hopes to select a firm by the following week, in time to place the contract on the December agenda for approval, according to Superintendent Lisa Brady.
All of the firms are based in New Jersey, and many are involved with construction projects in other school districts in Hunterdon County or throughout the state, Ms. Brady said Monday.
"We did a lot of prior referral checking on them already," Ms. Brady said.
The board solicited opinions from other school districts, hoping to avoid pitfalls and snags in the process.
"We’ve waited a long time for this," she said. "It has to be done right."
The board last week appointed a subcommittee to oversee the building and renovation project. Sitting on the subcommittee are board President Douglas Coleman and board members David Beaumont, Boyd Hartpence and Bob Campbell. They previously served on the subcommittee charged with hiring the project’s architect, The Thomas Group of Princeton.
Voters last month gave a thumbs-up to the construction of an auditorium, which the school has never had, and a second gymnasium, which will be used solely by middle school students.
Also approved were upgrades to the infrastructure, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; electrical and plumbing systems; new windows, ceilings and lighting; handicapped accessibility; refinishing of the high school’s gym floor; and new bleachers.
Improvements also will be made to existing classrooms to accommodate integrated teaching programs and to the high school cafeteria and common area and the science labs. The guidance and career center will be relocated, and high school music and world language rooms will receive upgrades. Improvements also are planned for the boys and girls locker rooms.
Middle school and high school students will share a new library and media center. Additional classrooms in the middle school wing will be used for science, music, art, computer and resource rooms.

