FREEHOLD – As work on a $33 million construction project in the Freehold Borough K-8 School District continues, the Board of Education has taken action to ensure the work is not interrupted. The project is being undertaken to alleviate overcrowded conditions in the district’s buildings.
The district has three schools at two locations. The Freehold Learning Center elementary school, Dutch Lane Road, educates pupils in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
The Park Avenue Elementary School and the Freehold Intermediate School are both housed in the Park Avenue Complex on Park Avenue. The elementary school educates pupils in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and the intermediate school educates students in grades six through eight.
On Feb. 20, board members passed a resolution awarding a total bid and contract of $281,800 to MTB, LLC, for a partial roof replacement at the intermediate school section of the Park Avenue Complex as part of the overall construction project. The firm was awarded the contract on the recommendation of William Hopkins, the board’s architect, as the lowest responsible bidder.
MTB’s total bid of $281,800 was comprised of a $253,400 base bid and a $28,400 alternate bid. The board elected to award the base bid and the alternate bid, according to the resolution.
The other bids submitted were $500,700 from Arista Builders & Designers; $495,000 from Wespol Construction; $412,515 from Nolt DA Inc.; $412,000 from Patriot Roofing; $400,440 from Barrett Roofs; $363,340 from Integrity Roofing; $334,000 from Safeway Contracting; and $328,340 from More Consulting Corp.
Board members also passed a resolution approving an easement to be granted to Jersey Central Power & Light and to Verizon of New Jersey for electrical equipment at the Freehold Learning Center.
According to the resolution, JCP&L and Verizon determined the school requires the installation of additional electrical equipment by both entities in connection with the renovation and expansion of the building.
In order for the companies to perform the work, JCP&L and Verizon asked the board to approve an easement agreement which will permit them access over the property to install, update and maintain the electrical equipment.
Finally, the board passed a resolution formalizing an agreement between the board and Freehold Borough officials to provide traffic safety services during construction at the Freehold Learning Center.
According to the resolution, the board determined it is necessary for the safety of pupils, employees and the public to receive traffic and safety assistance from the Freehold Borough Police Department while construction at the Freehold Learning Center is ongoing.
The board has agreed to provide police service/traffic safety detail to supervise and control traffic flow at the building’s adjacent lot when it has the manpower during construction. In instances when the board is unable to provide a traffic safety detail during construction, the board will use off-duty police officers or special officers to perform the function, according to the resolution.
From 2007-17, the district’s enrollment increased from 1,363 pupils to 1,700 pupils and led to a situation in which some Freehold Borough pupils are being educated by Freehold Borough teachers in nine classrooms that are rented in the neighboring Freehold Township K-8 School District.
