RUHS Bd. Hires Architect

For School Repair Project

By Sandy Vondrasek Cooch

Randolph Union High School Board members have hired a Montpelier architectural firm, Black River Design, to assist them in preparing a $10-million package of repairs to the high school and technical center for a November bond vote.

Board member Andy Becker explained June 13 that Black Rivers’ first task will be to assist the board in readying plans for presentations to the public, prior to the vote. However, Becker stressed that it will be board members—not hired architects—who will do the presenting.

Should the bond issue pass, Black River would then continue as the project architect, on a commission basis.

Black River was one of four architectural firms interviewed by the RUHS building committee, and one of two firms, along with Banwell Architects of Lebanon, N.H., the committee recommended to the board.

Both firms had agreed to work with the extensive materials already collected, including the electrical consultant’s recommendations. And, both agreed that project completion by August, 2009, is doable.

There was a difference of approximately $300,000 in the cost between the two finalists (to oversee the entire project, assuming voter approval), and the board and Principal John Holmes discussed the choice of aesthetics versus cost savings. In the end, the board agreed to offer a contract to the lower bidder, Black River Design.

The board had previously agreed that some repairs—rehabbing the elevator and converting the school kitchen from electric to propane—should be done this summer, using money in a building maintenance fund. Principal Holmes reported at the June meeting that those projects were ready to roll. Installation of the propane tank for the kitchen will be done later in the summer.