Sheridan Corp. of Portland wins the project, and will begin demolition of the old industrial arts building this week.

Potential savings from a general contract bid that came in more than $540,000 under the amount budgeted gives Regional School Unit 5 options as a $14.6 million renovation of Freeport High School gets under way.

Sheridan Corp. of Portland won the low bid – $10,736,280 – for the project, and is set to begin demolition of the old industrial arts building Wednesday. The Sheridan bid does not include some other costs in the total spending package.

At its meeting on Oct. 14, the RSU 5 board voted to accept the bid of Sheridan Corp., and the subcontract bid to Crooker Associates of Brunswick. Crooker got the award because A.H. Grover withdrew its bid, due to discrepancies in its submission procedure, according to John Simoneau, chairman of the Freeport High School Building Advisory Committee.

The building advisory committee had what Simoneau called “kickoff meetings” with Sheridan Corp. last Friday.

“They will do selective demo of the industrial arts building, and then site work,” Simoneau said. “They’ll cut loose and pull apart the building, then excavate for a foundation and utilities.”

Once the old building is gone, workers will construct a two-story building that will contain classrooms, band room, a cafeteria and kitchen.

Simoneau told the board that the plan is to put the saved money into a contingency fund. There are opportunities to expand the project, or the extra money could be used to pay down the principal on the loan, he said.

Michelle Ritcheson of Durham, board vice chairwoman, asked if Sheridan’s was the low bid among the three general contractors vying for the contract.

“Yes,” Simoneau answered. “Primarily, we were concerned about cost control.”

“That’s really exciting,” director Lindsay Sterling of Freeport said, regarding the cost savings. “I’m really happy about that.”

Board Chairman Nelson Larkins, school board liaison for the Tri-Town Track and Field Project, then updated the board on the group’s ongoing attempt to replace the athletic field outside the high school with a synthetic turf field, surrounded by a track. The track-and-field project hopes to raise $3.5 million, which could include up to $500,000 of the $600,000 earmarked for renovation of the grass field, which is part of the budgeted high school renovation.

Legal counsel for RSU 5 has advised the group that state law requires that voters approve any capital projects, even if built with donated funds, in a referendum vote. The track-and-field group is negotiating with the school board to schedule a referendum next spring that would ask voters if they want to spend the money for the new synthetic turf field and track, rather than the renovation of the existing field.

Larkins said he attended a “meet-and-greet” hosted by the Tri-Town Track and Field Project the previous week.

“The next step is to identify major funding,” he said. “They’re in the process of doing that.”

The tentative plan remains, however, for RSU 5 to renovate the existing grass field in the spring.

Director Valy Steverlynck of Freeport, told that a vote on the synthetic turf and track would not happen in November, said that the board needs to keep the public informed prior to a vote – whenever it takes place.

Larkins said he anticipates a special election could be held in March or April.

Civil engineer Andrew Johnston makes a point during a Monday morning meeting in back of Freeport High School. The razing of the industrial arts section of the school and the adjacent garage will begin on Wednesday, Johnston said. From left are Dennis Ouellette, director of facilities and transportation for Regional School Unit 5; Johnston; and Al Presgraves, town engineer for Freeport.Staff photo by Larry Grard