The Mehlville Board of Education heard several Proposition S updates at its meeting Jan. 19.

Proposition S is a $35-million no-tax-rate increase bond that was approved by voters in April 2021 to fund facility and safety upgrades at all of the district’s buildings. Nearly two years after its passage, several projects have been completed including the renovation of the Oakville High School baseball fields, Forder Elementary HVAC and security entrances at Bernard Middle, Oakville Elementary, OHS and Rogers Elementary.

“After consulting our architects, our building leaders, our stakeholders and watching the progress of our contractors, we feel confident in adding green checks to our list … that represents significant completition of our contracted work,” Executive Director of Planning and Operations Chad Dickemper said at the January meeting. “We are in a good place with our projects now.”

Work continued over winter break at Bierbaum Elementary, which included exterior masonry work. Exterior windows are slated to be installed by the end of February. Remaining concrete and masonry work at Blades Elementary is expected to start in the coming weeks.

Bernard’s secure entry vestibule is “operational”, other than roller shades that will be installed early this month, as well as safety film. Similarly, Dickemper said Oakville’s and Roger’s vestibules are also operational, aside from the safety film to be installed this month.

At Mehlville High School, work is underway on the new baseball field. Laser grading begins this month with the project tentatively slated to be completed in early May depending on weather.

Dickemper said upcoming bids on the market include phase two of Bierbaum this month; entrances at Hagemann, Point and Trautwein in March; work at Washington Middle in May; and projects Buerkle, Beasley, and John Cary Early Childhood in July.

To date, the district has spent $10.42 million in Prop S funds, with $27.29 million remaining. The bond has accrued $324,832 in interest since May 2021.

Board approves bids for roof work, food serving lines, buses

In addition to the Prop S update, the board approved several bids at the January meeting, including bids for roof work and buses.

The first bid approved by the board was a $1.13 million bid from Bade Roofing for roof replacement at Oakville High School, as well as a $883,576 bid from Frederic Roofing for roof replacement at Buerkle Middle, for a combined total of $2.01 million toward roof replacement. The projects are covered through the facility department’s capital budget as well as Prop S funds.

The second bid approved by the board was a $296,000 bid from Boelter to replace and remodel the food service lines at Mehlville High School.

“Just to be clear, food services is self-funded so this is all coming out of food service funding,” Board President Peggy Hassler said before the vote.

The last bid approved by the board was a $603,607 bid for five new buses from Central States Bus to replace five older vehicles. Three of the buses purchased are gas-powered and the remaining two are diesel.

The district is on a 16-year replacement schedule for its buses and replaces about five buses yearly.