Cape School Board approves bids for arts center materials

The Cape Girardeau School Board approved bids during Monday night's meeting for elements of the interior of the high school's performing arts center.

The cost of folding and portable staging, and theater rigging and curtains for the center was bid at $254,172 and awarded to SECOA Inc., a Minnesota company.

According to Jim Fisher, the project manager with McCarthy Bros., which is managing construction for the district, more bids than usual were received for that section of the project. For most projects in the districtwide improvement projects, there have been between one and five bidders. There were 11 bidders for the purchase of the staging and curtains. That is likely due to not many performing arts centers being built currently throughout the country, Fisher said. The center is scheduled to be completed in late 2012.

The board also approved the district's professional development plan for the 2011-2012 school year and the changing of two policies relating to the operation of school board meetings.

The changes will require that items be placed on the board's agenda five days before a meeting, and that the amount of time members of the public who wish to speak at meetings need to notify the district changes from five days in advance to one day in advance.

Dr. Jim Welker spoke briefly about the aftermath of the Dec. 6 fire at Blanchard Elementary School that damaged a section of the school. He said cleanup crews have been working on smoke damage at the school and that currently there has not been a definite date set that students could return to classes in the building. The school has held classes at Lynnwood Baptist Church since the week of the fire.

eragan@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO