FREEHOLD – The Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education has authorized an increase of $17,817 in a contract for work on a construction project that will address the issue of student overcrowding in the district.
On March 5, board members approved a change order in a contract with G&P Parlamas for additions and alterations at the Park Avenue Elementary School and the Freehold Intermediate School, which share the same building at the Park Avenue Complex. The change order is the third approved by the board.
The first change order, which totaled $50,734, increased the original $17.81 million contract to $17.87 million. The second change order, which totaled $46,380, increased the contract to $17.91 million. The third change order will increase the contract to $17.93 million.
According to a resolution approving the third change order, the increase will provide for the replacement of an asphalt walkway students use to enter school grounds. The existing asphalt will be replaced with a new 2-inch layer of asphalt. The work will be done by hand due to limited access to the area of the walkway.
The third change order was made after district administrators and board members determined the current walkway is beyond repair, according to the resolution.
The board is undertaking a $33 million construction project to expand the district’s three schools: the Freehold Learning Center elementary school, Dutch Lane Road; the Park Avenue Elementary School; and the Freehold Intermediate School.
From 2007-17, the district’s enrollment increased from 1,363 pupils to 1,700 pupils. The construction project will increase classroom space to 1,589 students, which will still leave the schools with an over-capacity of children, but will put less of a strain on classrooms, according to district administrators.