VIENNA — The Maries R-1 School Board has approved a Springfield architectural firm for architectural, engineering and land surveying work for its planned construction work. If voters approve the no tax increase bond issue at the June 2 election, the school district can go forward with its planned safety, energy, and building improvements.

At the school board’s April meeting, Superintendent Mark Parker said the request for qualifications was submitted by six companies and they narrowed it down to two. The companies submitted proposals for architectural, engineering, and land surveying in connection with preliminary and final design, cost estimates, bid documents, technical specifications and construction administration service for the school. The school had a list of safety and energy efficiency improvements, building renovations and expansion, track and field improvement, and parking and driveway surface and draining improvements.

The two final companies were Integrity Engineering, Rolla, and BRP Architects, Springfield. Both companies had similar proposals and would provide the same scope of work, but BRP would be less expensive for the bond issue projects. Integrity’s price per bid package is $2,500 and has a sliding scale fee for each package. They tried to negotiate with Integrity on the percentage but the company said they would not go below 8 percent on any bid package. BRP had provided its proposal and came in at a flat fee of 6 percent on three bid packages and did not charge an additional fee for each package.

The fees are based on a percentage on each package and the total bid. The school district’s project, if approved by voters, will cost about $2.5 million. Board member Vicki Bade said there is not a lot of design work in this construction package and she suggested they negotiate with Integrity to come down to 7 percent. Parker said the company said no.

The Springfield company, BRP Architects, was the second choice and had given the school district the same scope of work as did the other company. The fees are at 6 percent, a savings of $50,000 for the school district. Parker contacted the company asking if they will lower the rate any more and they did to 5.75 percent, an additional $7,500 savings. Their other rates were similar to Integrity’s rates and were “very comparable.”

Parker told the school board members BRP Architects is a new company, started by a man who broke away from another company. This will be the biggest project the company has done, he told the board. Because of their newness, the company will not want negative publicity and will do a good job. Bade looked at both of the proposals and said it would be a good company and they “would work hard to do us right,” Parker said.

This work will only go forward if district’s voters approve the bond issue on June 2. If they do not, there will not be any fees to the school.

In other business at the April R-1 school board meeting:

• Parker reported he applied for a School Violence Prevention Program matching grant, which is a federal program. The bond issue needs voter approval for the district to use the grant money because the district’s match is $29,000, but the grant is for $118,091. It would help pay for the safety improvements they’ve planned for the campus to include safety renovations to entryways, visitor management system, exterior doors, expanding the key fob system, and installing security cameras.

• The district is in the process of transitioning from its current landline contract with AT&T, which expires in July, and moving instead to a new internet-based system to put an end to long-distance charges. One option Parker is looking at is 20 Mbps broadband width for telephones and WiFi. It will save the district $364 a month and $4,300 a year.

The board members asked Parker to make sure the infrastructure for this arrangement is present. Parker said he was told there is fiberoptic on Fourth Street. He also was told the company will run it to the school.

The district’s last phone bill was $1,031.60. If this can be done the bill will be $364. Parker said he anticipates the April phone bill will be high as well because of the teachers making contact with students via telephone.

• In the financial report, Parker reported April deposits of $115,695.32 in Formula revenue, $31,123 Prop C, and $6,908 in transportation revenue.

The April electric bill was $2,881.26. No propane was purchased. The tank is at eight percent and Parker will determine if it should be purchased on the current contract or on a new one. The current propane contract is with Lock’s Mill for $0.89 a gallon.