By Janine DavisRecord Staff WriterThe Wright City R-II School Board last week awarded bids for construction of sidewalks around the high school athletic complex and for new HVAC units for West Elementary School.The board approved Schraer Heating and Cooling’s low bid of $21,339 to install four HVAC units that are part of a multiyear plan to replace 18 units at West Elementary School before 2017.A $27,328 bid from Mar-II Concrete was awarded for sidewalks around the south side of the athletic complex and for concrete pads at each of the track entrances and on the back side of the field house.“Mar-II’s bid was $25.67 higher than the lowest bidder — Banze Construction — but their unit costs were lower, and we know we’re going to have to add in some additional work and unit costs, so we’re recommending Mar-II,” Superintendent Chris Gaines told the board.The improvements, which will be completed this summer, will be the latest in the district’s five-year building and grounds enhancement plan.The sidewalks will be ADA compliant, and concrete approaches will allow safe, convenient walkways from visitor to home stands.Wright City R-II officials earlier signed off on a multiyear plan to help the school manage the upkeep of its buildings and athletic complex between 2012 and 2017. The plan spreads out work estimated at $1 million over five fiscal years and is based on a comprehensive review of needs by a facilities study group.New Board Members InstalledFollowing April’s board elections, new members Alice Jensen and Heidi Neill were sworn into office, as was Corri Ruge who was re-elected. Jensen and Neill replace Melissa Springmeyer who did not run for re-election, and Joseph Butterfield.The board elected officers for the new term: President Alice Klem, Vice President Austin Jones, Secretary Corri Ruge, and Treasurer Mary Groeper. The board’s Missouri School Board Association delegate will be Alice Klem, with Alice Jensen serving as an alternate.Naming RightsThe board also approved naming rights for the upcoming school year for various facilities, athletic fields and driveways based on bidding from the annual Blue and Gold auction. They are: high school football field: American Bank Field; high school baseball field: Chad Scott Lewis Field; high school gymnasium: Chad Scott Lewis Gymnasium; high school drive: Don King Drive; middle school gymnasium: First State Community Bank Gymnasium; and East Elementary drive: Don King Drive.

R-II Board- Three Wright City R-II Board members were sworn in at last Thursday's meeting. Pictured, from left, are Cori Ruge, Heidi Neill and Alice Jensen. Ruge was re-elected, while Neill and Jensen are new to the board.