Milton School Board approves contract for new maintenance facility, funded from capital reserve

The Milton School District Board of Education voted to award the construction contract for a new district maintenance facility to Gilbank Construction after staff presented bid results and a value-engineering review.

Superintendent Dr. Smith and facilities staff told the board the project site is in the northeast corner of Central Park and that the district received three general-contractor bids in May. The lowest apparent bid from Gilbank Construction was presented initially at $2,800,000; after alternates and voluntary value engineering the staff-estimated construction cost was reduced to $1,970,440 and the full project budget (including architect/engineering fees and a 5% construction contingency) was presented as $2,232,144.

"We were able to get that construction cost down to 1,970,440," said Stephen, a district project lead, describing the vetting of alternates and voluntary value-engineering options. Staff said they prioritized options that would not compromise the long-term functionality of the facility.

Board members asked how the 5% contingency would be handled and whether different general contractors used different subcontractors. Stephen said the 5% is a district-held contingency (not part of the GC contract) that covers unforeseen conditions; any unspent contingency would remain in Fund 46 for future projects. He added that general contractors may self-perform certain trades, which can affect individual bids, while staff provided a common list of local subcontractors to GCs during prequalification.

Ross, speaking about budget effects, said the district expects a Fund 46 balance of roughly $6.5 million at year end (pending any charges before June 30). If approved and other listed projects proceed, Fund 46 would be roughly $3.6 million by the end of next year, he said, noting the district expects to fund the maintenance facility and other capital projects from that reserve without additional community funding.

Trustee Tracy moved to approve the project with Gilbank Construction at the presented construction cost; Trustee Joe seconded, and the motion carried on a voice vote.

If construction proceeds on schedule, staff said the district would aim for an occupancy date around June 1, 2027. The district plans to include a donor recognition for a $40,000 in-kind contribution from Sila Excavating toward earthwork in a future gifts and donations report.

Next steps: staff will finalize contracts and provide the board with construction schedules and routine project updates. No litigation or third-party approvals were reported as prerequisites to proceed.