The Wright City R-II School Board received construction updates for both Wright City High School and the East Elementary four-room classroom addition on June 26.
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The Wright City R-II School Board received construction updates for both Wright City High School and the East Elementary four-room classroom addition on June 26.
Wright City High School, which opened in January, is close towards completion. Items such as permanent power, the turf on the baseball and softball fields, interior finishes in the locker rooms and concession stand and installation of scoreboards have all been completed.
The exterior work on the concession stand and locker rooms is also nearly complete. Additionally, final grading, seeding, work on the large detention basin and development of the turn slip lane are actively underway.
The board had one change order to approve. With a 5-0 approval, the board approved a 14-day extension to Wright Construction.
Due to persistent rain delays, the substantial completion date was moved from June 26 to July 16. This extension will not result in any additional cost to the district.
One concern addressed was the condition of the turf field near the home stands. Heavy rains in April and May caused soil from the hillside to slide onto the turf. Since then, rock has been stabilized on the hillside.
The district will bring in two independent experts to assess the situation. Based on their evaluations, the district will determine whether cleaning or a replacement of the affected area is needed. Either option is expected to be covered by an insurance claim.
However, there was uncertainty if there would be additional costs if construction workers had to work longer than July 16.
Erik Wilson from Bond Architects addressed the board, explaining that replacing part of the turf may present challenges in matching the color to existing areas. He recommended cleaning the field, referencing Soccer Park in Fenton, which undergoes regular cleaning due to frequent flooding. His suggestion involved vacuuming out the dirt and replacing the infill.
Board Member Heidi Box Halleman raised concerns and pointed out that unlike Soccer Park, where cleanup is routine, the high school’s turf has had dirt sitting on it for months. She questioned whether the cleaning process might harmfully impact the turf’s fibers over time.
While a decision had not been made yet, school officials stated they are looking forward to fall sports being played on the field this year.
Construction at East Elementary is also moving forward. The addition of four classrooms is projected to be completed by Aug. 2, in time for the start of the new school year.
The building is now officially weathertight, with the roof, walls, exterior windows and doors installed.
Interior work is moving forward with painting, floor finishes and the installation of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Hankins Construction is also working on the ceiling grid and sealing the cinder block walls. Additionally, the brick for the building’s exterior is expected to arrive on July 1.
School Board President Austin Jones raised some concerns about the possibility of floor moisture and having to mitigate that.
Hankins Construction said the floor will be tested with a moisture meter, like they had done with the walls, but as of now they did not recall any moisture mitigation.
