By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board voted Monday night to approve $782,000 for improvements to HVAC system at Hays High School.

The work will add rooftop units for the main gym, auxiliary gym and wrestling room. The program will also improve controls for other parts of the high school. The district hopes to complete the project this summer.

The project will be paid for through capital outlay funds.

Board member Greg Schwartz had questioned the use of a construction manager at risk instead of using a traditional bid process on the project. He also questioned the cost of the project and, at the last board meeting, asked a comparison be made between the cost of the high school project and a similar project completed in 2015 at Hays Middle School.

Building Controls and Services, the construction manager at risk, estimated the cost of the high school project would be $12.75 per square foot, and the cost of the HMS project was $17.29.

Schwartz questioned the numbers, arguing the numbers might be skewed because of the amount being spent on controls in Hays High School project. However, he said after reviewing the additional data, the costs were close enough he could support the project.

The project passed the board unanimously.

Both Schwartz and Board President Lance Bickle said they would prefer that future projects use a traditional bidding method.

This is the first phase of a multi-phase project to improve the HVAC system at HHS. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $4 million to $5 million.

Superintendent John Thissen said the district chose the gyms as the first phase, because they are used the most during the summer.