The Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education authorized superintendent Howard Benyon to negotiate a contract with Brockmiller Construction for the completion of the final phase of the indoor athletic facility at the Cape Central High School campus.

Josh Crowell, assistant superintendent of support services for the district, reported that Brockmiller Construction, the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), solicited bids for the last stage of the project. The bids went out to multiple contractors for various services including electrical, plumbing and fire protection packages.

Crowell stated the submitted bids came in "much lower than expected," and they were able to include areas for track and field, including long jump, triple jump and pole vault runways.

He said the facility will have space to accommodate practice areas for football, soccer and baseball, including batting and pitching cages and even a golf simulator.

Because of the rising cost of materials, which more than doubled the amount budgeted for the project, the board voted in January to divide the construction of the facility into two phases. Phase one was approved at the March board meeting at a cost of nearly $2.4 million.

The board voted Monday night, Sept. 25, to follow the recommendation to accept the minimum bids for phase two submitted at a cost not to exceed $2.5 million.

The board also authorized the superintendent to negotiate a contract with ATG-Ram Industries to install the artificial turf in the indoor athletic facility at a cost not to exceed $277,600.

Crowell said it was more cost effective to bid the turf through the National Purchasing Cooperative's BuyBoard contract than through the CMAR, Brockmiller Construction.

He said the turf is the same product already installed at the district's events stadium and baseball and softball fields. Crowell added that the turf will be covered under the current yearly maintenance program already in place.

In other business, the board approved the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) presented by superintendent Benyon. Per state guidelines, each school district must maintain a current school improvement plan to ensure the achievement and success of all students.

Benyon said the last CSIP was adopted by the board in 2017 and he and district administrators have been working on a new CSIP for over a year. He said they interviewed and surveyed district employees, parents and students, and used their input to create the new CSIP.

He said they are working to make the new CSIP available to be read online soon.

Before the regular meeting, the board met in closed session and approved an addendum to the district's part-time employee salary schedule, adding a health care professional substitute salary schedule at a rate of $22.00 per hour.

The board also approved an agreement with Craig HomeCare for the 2023-24 school year to secure a private duty nurse, at an hourly rate of $54.04, for a student whose Individualized Education Program requires said services.