Bids were opened recently and District Treasurer Stacy Williams said the next step is to hold a scope review meeting with the architect and each company to make sure the bids are complete.

The two lowest bids were submitted by Brock and Associates and C. Tucker Cope & Associates and were $6.89 million and $6.81 million, respectively.

Bids were also submitted by two other companies, with the highest at $7.8 million.

Williams said the scope review meeting will give each contractor an opportunity to also opt out or make changes to their bid. Each contractor will be scored based on the “lowest responsible bidder” per the Ohio Revised Code for Competitive Bidding.

An artist’s rendering of the front entrance of the proposed athletic field house at Beaver Local. (Submitted)

Williams also said that after the scope review meeting, the board of education will meet to determine if it will accept any of the bids. If so, the contractors state there would be a groundbreaking by the spring.

“The creation of this facility would allow us to provide a place for students to grow and excel right here in our local community, where transportation can be a major factor in students participating in health initiatives, while also putting programs in place to meet the needs of students and prepare them for a lifetime of healthy options regarding their mental health, social and emotional well-being, physical well-being, and academic progress,” District Superintendent Eric Lowe said.

Built specifically for district students, plans call for the construction of a two story facility that will feature a 50-yard practice field, weight room, batting cages, locker rooms, trainer room, men’s and women’s restrooms, storage areas, a lobby and an office on the main level.

The second floor will feature a cardiovascular area and multipurpose sports simulator, as well as showers and restrooms.

“It is definitely an exciting time to be part of the Beaver Local family. We have an opportunity in front of us to construct an amazing facility for the fitness and well-being of our students. This facility has the ability to positively impact thousands of students annually over the next 30 plus years,” Board of Education President Brian McKenzie said.

An artist’s rendering of the main lobby of the proposed athletic field house at Beaver Local. (Submitted)

The facility will be named the Derek Wolfe Fieldhouse in honor of the Beaver Local graduate who went on to attain a professional football career with the Denver Broncos from 2012-2019 and the Baltimore Ravens from 2020-2021.

In 2020, the district partnered with alumni Wolfe and Jamin Pastore to bring a turf field and athletic facility to the students at Beaver Local with their generous donation of $1 million.

Williams said that unfortunately, the pandemic happened not long after the donation was received, and then with costs skyrocketing post pandemic, the district was forced to put the brakes on the project.

After receiving approval for $1.5 million from the Ohio Department of Education from the American Rescue Plan ESSER Round 3 grants, the district has been working to make a project previously envisioned come to fruition, she added.

Williams also said that during that time she was able to be proactive and take advantage of low interest rates in order to refinance the district’s bonds, returning roughly $2.8 million to the district for this specific capital project.

An artist’s rendering of the practice field of the proposed athletic field house at Beaver Local. (Submitted)

“Now, it’s 2023 and with looming deadlines around using the federal grant money, the district had it’s second bid opening in three years in hopes the project will be within budget so the district can continue moving forward,” she said.

The previous bid opening was in December of 2021 where the price came in too high and supplies were limited, she explained.

She said that the remaining funds will come from cash on hand via the district’s capital improvement fund or will be taken out in the form of a short term loan and the payments will be paid out of the capital improvement fund. The district had previously taken out and paid off a loan for $2 million when the school was built in order to install the new stadium bleachers, create fields, provide new scoreboards and update and purchase supplies in areas that were not included in the OSFC project.

She also said that it is important to note that money from the capital improvement fund is one time money that is required to be spent on something that has a useful life of over five years and is used for lump-sum, large purchases.

“This is not money to be used for salary and benefits, supplies or other day to day operating expenses,” she said.

An artist’s rendering of the weight room of the proposed athletic field house at Beaver Local. (Submitted)

On the other hand, the district’s recent renewal levy that passed in November is annual money that is specifically used for day to day operating and covers the cost of about 15 staff members along with many supplies.

“This money helps us provide much more than the ‘state minimum education’ and we are grateful that our tax payers support it,” she said.

The project calls for no additional costs to taxpayers in the form of levies and will not use any money in the currently planned district operating budget.

“Our goal throughout the pandemic has been to be fiscally responsible and create a plan for using these grant funds that would be sustainable when the funding source is no longer available. I am proud to say we will be re-investing in our school and community by providing additional local opportunities for all students to grow and develop beyond the classroom in a place they can focus on their social, emotional and physical well-being,” she said.

Williams said that the engineers estimate for heating and cooling the facility is about $5,500 a month at max capacity (meaning if they heated and cooled the field and building every day).

“The project calls for a state of the art HVAC system similar to what is in the school which is very energy efficient. In the schools’ $26 million budget, this is a well justified cost when keeping in mind the impact it would have on our students and community,” she said.